Alaric's Indisposed
by Anna Lane
Summary: Dying, and waking up in his own grave has really changed Alaric's life. He meets the alluring and mysterious Meredith, but she didn't come alone. Danger seems to follow her. Damon may still hold a grudge for that whole attempted murder thing. And why do people keep seeing him naked? The only thing certain in his life is how he feels for Jenna. Alaric/Meredith, Alaric/Jenna S2
1. Waking Up

**A/N: This is a sequel, of sorts, to my story Disposing With Damon, but you don't need to have read that to get this story. This is just what happens when Alaric wakes up burried alive. Spoilers in chapter 8 and beyond. **

Alaric's eyes opened, but didn't see anything. Were they even open? He tried to breath, but a moist cloth filled his mouth to his throat, choking him. He shook his head to be free of it, but though the muscles in his neck strained, he was unsuccessful. Panicked, he moved his arm to assist, only it stayed in place. Just then he became aware of a pressure on his entire body, pressing, pinning, holding him down. Frantically, he thrashed out, mindlessly fighting for the oxygen his body knew it needed. His shoulders rocked, his legs kicked up and down, side to side, his fingers tore through the soft, cold, wet crumbling beneath his body, and he knew what it was. Dirt. His crazed movements increased, and in seconds, his body was making small burrows here and there, and he could move for a limited space in air, and not caked dirt. When he could, he turned his head to free his mouth and gasped that first breath of air in. What came in didn't feel like any air he'd ever felt. It was thick and barely reached the top of his lungs. He grew tired, and he couldn't tell if his eyes were closed or open, but hisf body's blood was still pumping from the adrenalin rush and Alaric knew that his only hope was to dig.

So he prayed, and he dug. His hands felt around the cloth and he dug with it over him, his forearms the only part of his body completely surrounded by earth. He dug until his arms burned, and he feared his fingernails would fall off, so caked with dirt they were. Finally, he wormed his way into an upright sitting position, and the cloth slipped from his face. Dirt poured in, filling his eyes _I guess they were open _and his mouth. Immediately, he hung his head so that the dirt above him that he dug through fell onto the back of his head and not his face. He coughed weakly to get the dirt outfrom his throat, but ended up swallowing the rest with a dry mouth. There was nothing to do about his eyes, they were pulsating they were so irritated, but since his hands felt like they were made of dirt at the moment, he knew it wouldn't do any good to rub his eyes. He kept his arms raised, and he ordered his hands to keep digging. Soon, he was nearly standing, and there was no sign the surface was near. He pounded the hard dirt over his head to see if he could crack it and glorious air would pour in. It didn't. He felt all around the dirt at his head, looking for some weak spot, until he found something hard that felt like a stick. He grasped it and pulled. Images of skeleton bones danced in his mind, but the fact it was apparently stable to pull on, and the fact he couldn't see it, made it so that he wouldn't have complained if it _was_ someone's femur.

He pulled himself up with one arm while digging his feet into the dirt for purchase. With his free hand, he attacked the dirt above him. He slowly made progress, but as he scooted further up his stick, something odd started to happen. The dirt around him became wet, and clung to him even more. It was colder and it slid down to his face, and it became harder for Alaric to breath his stale air. He tried shaking it off and quickly waved his digging arm to the side so that the mud wouldn't fall to his face. It was hard work and when his hand broke through the surface of the ground, he became so impatient that he took in as big a breath of air he could, grabbed the branch with both arms and pulled himself up and through the mud, like a rope. _That's it, just climbing a rope in gym class, showin' off for a girl. _Only, it was more like swimming through sludge. Each pull was agony just to get his arm situated on the branch, let alone pull his whole body through. Mud rushed at him with every move he made, and he cursed his stupidity. It was taking a lot longer than he didn't think to think of, and he was getting more desperate for air with every millisecond. _Stupid, stupid, slow and steady wins the fucking race, you idiot!_ He repeated things like that to himself, his own motivational mantra, but that only got him so far. Just when he was sure he was dead, he pulled himself free and took his first breath.

He stayed like that for just about forever. Gasping in however much air he could possibly take into his lungs, half out of the ground, and with a death grip on the-

He opened his eyes, and though they ached they still worked. The moonlight coming through the trees seemed downright blazing, and he actually squinted at first. Then he looked down at his savior. _A goddamn tree root_. He patted it and pulled the rest of himself out. He lay against the tree in question and closed his eyes, grateful for every breath, but unable to concentrate on that for so long. Questions eventually bubbled up in his head and hit him a thousand at once. _Who did this to me? Why did they bury me? Where am I? How am I alive? How long have I been gone? _All these questions flashed in his mind, sometimes different, sometimes repeated, but all-consuming and overpowering.

Just as quickly, the answers hit him and he remembered. Damon. Anger and hate warmed Alaric's limbs, and it was only then did he realize how cold he was. It was winter and damn near freezing. Not to mention the fact it was raining. The trees protected him from all but a few drops of the rain, but the woods he'd been buried in were downhill, and freezing cold rain was seeping down in small cold streams. In fact, Alaric felt one under his ass at that very second. Alaric looked down. His naked ass. What kind of a pervert was Damon? But Alaric didn't complain too much, for all he knew clothes would have made rising from the grave even harder. Which brought Alaric back to the question that was really bothering him. Well, more than any of the others, at least. How the hell was he back from the dead? He remembered the stake and the his heartbeat, how it had stopped. He twisted his ring from Isabel - a nervous habit - when he paused and looked down at it. She couldn't have known, could she?

He shivered, and not entirely from the cold. He needed to get warm. He wondered if he'd die of hypothermia, and if he did, would he come back from that? He stood, his hand on his guardian tree, and almost fell back down again. It had been a while since he used his legs, he was guessing. He looked to his left-uphill- and to his right-downhill, and he turned right. It wasn't just that it was downhill, it was because he knew the mansions were uphill of the woods, and he did not want to run into Damon again. If Damon saw Alaric again the bastard would probably bang him over the head with a cross and wreath garlic garland over his body as he buried him in a 12ft deep hole. _Seriously? Killed with a stake by a vampire? In the living room, of course, _he joked to himself. _Killed with wood, and saved by it. _He took one last look at his tree and started his walk. He shook the unwanted remembrances and thoughts off and tried to concentrate on saving himself.

Concentrating on that wasn't much better. He couldn't get past how much his feet and hands hurt. They hurt so bad he was afraid doctors would take them and cut them off. He felt every rock and pointy leaf that passed underfoot, so even though his damn feet were frozen, they obviously weren't numb. Figures. He even fell in a puddle at one point and just sat in it. It was so big that he could just lean back and his head would be engulfed. He wondered how much easier it would be to just stop. He sank into the puddle. _NO! _Gasping, though he had only been under for a second or two, Alaric sat up in the water. The dark encompassing water had reminded him too much of his suffocating grave. He looked down at his hands and almost cried, but then he saw smeared mud on his hands. It was washing off. In a frenzy, he splashed water all over his chest and face and hair. He rubbed until he felt clean. He looked at the pale skin of his hand again and noticed that he still had dirt underneath his fingernails. He would probably always have dirt underneath his fingernails.

Feeling childish, he climbed out of the water and continued on his walk. He didn't know his way out of these woods, but at least the walk had stabled out and wasn't downhill anymore, which might mean- Hell, he didn't know what it meant. Something good, hopefully. Alaric still struggled to retain energy and strength with every step. He started to run, jog really, in an effort to build up more body heat. He wouldn't deny it felt awkward, running through the woods naked, but it did help him stay warm and just focus on not hitting trees. He fell once, and landed horribly and ended up injuring the one part a guy _never_ wants to injure. It took him ten whole minutes to recover. He decided to walk again after that.

After twenty minutes of more walking, he spotted something bright in the distance. _A fire!_ Bless dumb high school kids and their dumb-ass bonfire irresponsibility parties. He weighed the pros and cons of running again, and decided on a brisk walk. As he got closer he noticed there was no music, no laughter, and when he was right next to it, he noticed there were no people. _An abandoned bonfire, maybe?_ But he didn't care, he was too busy getting as close as he could to the fire without getting singed. The fire went all the way to his chest, and he held his hands out over it to warm them, then he'd rub them together, then he'd rub his arms to get them warm again. He did it with every part of his body. His eyes closed and he leaned into it and could see himself falling asleep. It was so warm, and bright. Bright was good. It was so bright his eyelids looked orange when he closed them. He'd ask someone, whoever started the fire, if they came back, for cloths, but right now he just wanted to-

Alaric heard a cough and turned around. The most beautiful girl he'd ever seen was smiling with a frown at him. Smiling with a frown. Hard to do, that. She was tall, with long brown hair and a long green dress on. She was close enough that you could tell she was beautiful, but far enough that details were difficult to see. Why anyone would wear a dress in the woods was beyond him. Although, she was probably thinking the same thing about him being naked. Yep, there she was, looking at him up and down, and lingering on his-_Shit. _He felt himself get hard. It usually didn't happen inappropriately, but he did just wake up, sorta...

He saw her grin a knowing smile and he blushed. She walked toward him, but inexplicably, he turned and ran away from her. He didn't know why, but he did. And he didn't even ask her if she had any clothes. _Dammit!_


	2. School

When he got home he realized he didn't have keys. _Fuck._ He ran around to the back of his house and threw a rock through one of the windows. He broke out the glass and climbed through, getting small slices all over his body. He went up the stairs to his room and into the adjoining bathroom; all the while turning on every light. He set the shower on hot as it would go and stumbled in. It was still cold, the water took a while warming, so he held his eyes up to the shower head's spray and flushed them with water to clear away the irritating dirt. He forced his eyes open despite the pain the shower droplets caused, and the fact that the longer his eyes were bombarded with water, the drier they felt. Finally he closed them, but he had to open them again. He couldn't handle the darkness. So he only watched the dirt and blood mix with water flow down the drain. When it actually pained him to move, because the water was so hot it had transformed his skin into an aching mass of violent pink, he made himself get out.

Without toweling, he headed straight for his bed, and climbed under the covers. It surprised him how tired he was, and he wondered how on earth he would sleep when it freaked him out to only close his eyes. Finally, he turned a second light, the lamp by his bed, on. He closed his eyes and was surprised when the initial panic didn't swamp him. He moved his head to a more comfortable position and the panic kicked in. His eyes flew open, and he faced the lamp again, sighing. Maybe he could fall asleep just watching the light until he passed out out or something.

_This is ridiculous. _He thought to himself half an hour later. I can't let this happen to me. He tried closing his eyes again, not to sleep, but just to see if he could without panicking. Alaric concentrated and it worked. He told himself that it wasn't dark, and that though his eyes were closed the lamp was on and it wasn't really dark. He relaxed just a bit and he realized why his technique was working. He felt fine because, though his eyes were closed, he could see the orange glow that shone through them from the light. _Just like looking at the sun with your eyes closed. Or that bonfire. _He slowly felt more and more comfortable and warm, and eventually he slept.

His sleep started out just fine, peaceful and dreamless, until he started dreaming. At first it was cold, dark — he was back in the ground. He was screaming, screaming and dirt kept pouring down his throat. He knew he was dying when a beautiful girl appeared glowing out of the darkness. An angel. _I guess dying isn't all that bad._ She held out her hand and he took it. Like that the glow was gone, as was the dirt, and the cold. The dark remained, but Alaric was so relieved-and scared- that he gripped the small women in a tight hug, not even caring if he held her too tight.

She only laughed, and she disentangled herself from him, but held him from her at arms length. "You ran away too soon last time." Her voice had a light southern hint to it. Her eyes sparkled and her lower lip was nice. So nice it was hard for him to get his mind off of it. He stared at her and after a while her eyes became confused. "What?" She laughed again, with confused eyes.

"Hi." His voice was scratchy and deep. "My name's Alaric. I thought you should know." _What a stupid thing to say._

"What do you-?" Then Alaric finally kissed her. She felt so good against him. He could feel her lips curving, and it was easy for him to slip his tongue into her mouth and deepen their kiss.

_Now this kind of suffocating I could learn to love ,_ he thought as continued to kiss her her foughly. Finally, he pulled away. "You should know if I'm gonna kiss you like that." She smiled and her hands tugged at the hair on the back of his neck and she damn near climbed on top of him. He let her, helped her. He leaned her against a tree. _I know that tree._

He pulled away. "This is a dream. I can't be here again."

She sighed. "Of course it's a dream." She crossed her arms. "I thought I finally found another person like me, you know? Who else would be running around the woods naked?" She laughed and straightened form the tree, shaking her head. "Wouldn't be the first time I'm wrong." She put her arms back around his neck and started kissing him again.

"This is a dream." He repeated, not kissing her back.

"So why don't you enjoy it?" He looked down at her and smiled. His mouth moved closer to hers when she suddenly backed away, clutching her ears. "Owwwch." Her jaw clenched. "You should probably get that." Then she was gone and a loud ringing resonated through his head.

He groaned and his eyes opened to find his sunlit bedroom. The phone continued it's obnoxious ringing. Who knew the morning after death would be the equivalent to the worse hangover _ever?_ He reached over and flipped it open, forgetting, for a moment, that one generally talked into a phone. He moved it, with reluctance, to his ear. "Hello?" His voice was scratchy just like it was in his dream.

"Saltzmen? Is that you?" The voice demanded.

"Yes, sir, it is. What can I do for you?" Alaric replied to his boss, Principal Prick-Head.

"You can start by getting your ass over here, that's what you can do! One day gone with no explanation, fine! But it will not be two, you understand me? Your first class is already half-over. We will talk after school." Then he hung up.

"Fuck!" Alaric got out of bed and threw on some cloths from his closet, not really paying attention. He grabbed his keys and contented himself to not having coffee this morning.

As he walked out of his house he noticed the window. Resisting the urge to swear again, he forced himself to look away. Thank God he had his teaching schedule written down at school. It was going to be hell teaching like this as it was.

He made to school just in time for the third-hour passing period and was reminded again just how much high school sucked. Everyone stared and whispered. He walked into his room and noticed that about half the class hadn't even bothered to show up. The first thing he did was look through the schedule on his desk. A movie. Oh, thank God. He set it up, but when he tried to explain what they would be watching, his eyes caught those of a beautiful girl. She grinned up at him and he went hard. Damn. "You must be new." He said and congratulated himself on sounding normal, neutral.

She nodded her confirmation. "Meredith Sulez, Mr. Alaric." She smiled like a saint, but her eyes glittered like the devil's.

"Just Alaric, Meredith. Welcome to the class."

"Well I prefer Ms. Sulez, Alaric." He stared at her. "A joke." She added, and got quiet laughs from a few of her new classmates. He forced a smile and started a video.

He sat down uncomfortably in his desk chair and pretended he was working, when really he was worrying about how he could sit in the same room with this new girl and not let it be painfully apparent that he wanted her. He peeked up again and saw her staring. She winked. Christ, she recognized him. What was he going to do? What if she decides to tell? _My god, she is really enjoying this. _He thought as he looked at her, and he saw that her grin had grown, if possible, even larger. Her cheeks must hurt. What kind of sick person enjoys watching others squirm? At least she didn't know about his dream.

Speaking of, Elena had been squirming since the beginning of the period and she hadn't met his eye once. She must have so many questions about her birth mother. He'd do his best to help her find the answers. Alaric had resolved to look out for her ever since he had learned she was dating a vampire. He had even gotten close to Jenna to do so. _Jenna_. He sighed. He really liked her, thought she was sweet and funny, but he just got the feeling that, though she liked him, she wasn't ready for a serious relationship with him. He had never been into flitty girls, not to mention he'd been there and done that with Isabel, and it hadn't pleased him so greatly to learn that Jenna seemed to have that sort of mentality. Maybe if all this vampire bullshit ever settled down he could try to change her mind.

In the meantime- he glanced over at his new problem and saw her doodling on a peace of paper-he had the new student, Damon, and Elena's questions to deal with.

When the bell rang, Alaric got up and was going over to the door to tell Elena to stay on the way out since he had a free period next hour, but she nearly raced out of the room. Great. Elena was either too grossed out or too angry to talk to him and his new student was lingering. Maybe he could talk to Elena after school. Or not, seeing as he had to have a talk with his boss.

"Ahem," he looked over at Meredith. "I just wanted to-" she gasped "What happened to your hand? It wasn't like this last night." She took his hand and tried to examine the little cuts from the window but Alaric pulled his hand away. She looked hurt for about a second, but then shook it off and replaced it with that innocent and unreadable mask. "I just wanted to let you know that I won't say a word." She smiled sweetly. He looked her up and down. What a getup. A plaid skirt that just hit her knees with stockings underneath and a fuzzy vest. It was almost like she was trying too hard.

He didn't know what to say. "I don't know what you're talking about." He finally decided to say.

She laughed - he noticed she was easy to laugh – and said, "Exactly!" She walked to the door and when she reached it, without looking back, she said, "I'll be seeing you, Alaric." Then she left and he was alone.

"Great." he said to no one in particular and laid his head against the desk.


	3. School 2

"There you are! You're supposed to be shadowing me." An exasperated Caroline walked up to her and took her by the elbow. It was a wonder she'd gotten away in the first place. "We have gym next."

Meredith tried unsuccessfully to pull away. "I hate gym." Some recreational activities were fun, but they weren't the kind usually done in a gym. _Though that might be fun._

"It won't be that bad." Caroline laughed. Meredith tugged again and this time it stopped them both, because this time her tug had her bare arm brush against Caroline's. The skin to skin contact had caused Meredith to accidentally have a vision using Caroline's energy. Caroline looked weak, which often happened when Meredith used people for power sources, even if she did it inadvertently. Visions were unpredictable, and Meredith didn't always know who would spark one.

"Caroline?" Her eyes were closed and she stood still in a busy hallway.

"Hmm." She looked up. "Oh, I'm fine. Let's go to gym." She obviously felt terrible, but she tried to remain cheerful. Meredith felt bad for her. Caroline didn't deserve what was coming her way.

When they got to gym Caroline seemed to have recovered. They changed—Meredith was given a uniform of her very own!-and did a warm up lap around the school. After that would be soccer. Since Meredith was fairly exhausted halfway through the warm up, she decided to lay down on the ground and start an extensive spell that would get her out of more physical activity. Her hands swept through the grass as she mumbled words that would confound everyone into thinking she was participating and not laying in the grass.

The spell was fairly huge, and even drawing energy from the life around her, the grass, it completely exhausted her. Some would say why bother if you're just going to get exhausted either way. The truth was she'd rather be exhausted laying down than running around collecting sweat.

She thought about a lot as she lay there, whispering her words. It was like that with witches who were very experienced. They could multitask with frightening skill.

She thought about Alaric, mostly. How when she saw him that night he seemed almost god-like. Naked and magnificent, running wild out of the dark woods. She'd been doing a ritual for guidance around the fire and when she saw him she thought—but that was coincidence, it seemed. She didn't even think his was the magical presence she sensed in the town anymore. He was just a high school teacher.

Which, she grinned, was one of the funniest things that had happened in a long time. She'd always had a thing for teachers and just happens to unwittingly meet one and it's lust at first sight. She remembered the first teacher she'd ever had a crush on, all the way back to fourth grade. Of course, it wasn't just any school. It was a small school for a select few rich witches' children. They only hired the best—and he was the best, her crush. But then, he got kicked out when Meredith slipped him a love charm she wasn't supposed to know how to make. No one knew why he'd suddenly gone all pedophile creeper.

Except for Raife, that is, and he had wholly approved. Meredith grit her teeth. He was the reason she was even at that damn school. _ I suppose it wasn't all his fault. My mom was the wicked bitch witch who sold her first born to the devil._

That line of thought was kind of pissing her off, so she was glad when the gym teacher blew the whistle to end the game. Plus, power expenditure made her cranky.

She went through the rest of the day in sort of a daze, never noticing how closely Caroline's friend Bonnie had been staring at her since gym.

* * *

"Damon, what are we going to do?" Elena was pacing furiously in the empty lot they'd decided to meet in after she called him. The hot sun beat down on her and did nothing to help her nervous sweating and panting.

"Elena." he grabbed her shoulders, a frown marring his brow. "It's okay. Tell me what happened."

"He was just there, Damon! Like nothing happened! He was-he-he did seem unusual, though." she paused. "Oh God, is he a vampire?" Her breathing got even harder.

"Did he say anything to you?"

"No. But, oh God, Damon, he looked at me almost all class. I had to get out of there. I had to call you. Oh, God, what did I do?" She started crying.

"Hey, shh, shh." Damon pulled her to him in a hug and put his chin on her head. "I'll take care of it, don't worry, he doesn't know a thing about you. It's what _I _did, Elena. Just stay away from him, something isn't right. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." _I'll take care of you._ Damon held her and did his best to comfort her. He was truly angry, not at the attempt on his life— but the fact that all this had Elena so scared. He would kill Alaric if he planned on hurting Elena. And he would make sure Alaric stayed dead this time.

Elena's heart slowly calmed in Damon's arms. She felt so safe she never wanted him to let her go. Her arms held him as tight as they could and she felt his new leather jacket as her hands grazed across it, and the memory of his old one scared her even more, so she held on tighter.

* * *

Meredith was relieved the school day was over. Art with Caroline wasn't so bad— the girl definitely had talent— but her last class had been Calculus. Meredith shuddered at the memory. It was like being dropped into the middle of an ocean and being told you needed to swim to the shore. And Meredith had been too exhausted to even cast a spell to give the teacher laryngitis or something. She was completely relieved when it was finally over. Already, she was making up plans to skip that particular class and wondering if an officer would even show up to give her a truancy ticket.

As relieved as she was to get out of that school, she wasn't so eager to leave town and go into the woods to her nice, cozy tent. No, she was going to stay in town as long as she possibly could. The trick was finding a cool place to hang out for a few hours people-watching.

Then she felt a presence. She looked up to see Alaric walk to his car. So he _was_ the magical presence she felt?

"Excuse me," Meredith whirled around, scared out of her skin, to see a pretty dark girl, Caroline's friend, look cautiously at her. Meredith just looked at her and realized with sadness this was the magic she'd sensed. Neither of them knew what to say, Bonnie because she didn't know how to broach the subject she wanted to talk about and Meredith because of her acute disappointment.

They stared at each other for about a minute before Meredith finally broke the silence. "Yes, I'm a witch."

Bonnie looked shocked. "How did you-"

"Well, you didn't think you were the only one who could sense a fellow witch, did you?" She started walking away and Bonnie followed excitedly.

"You're the first witch I've met. I have so many questions! My grandma died and I don't know anyone else who-"

"Stop, I sympathize, really, but I can't help you." Bonnie struggled to keep up with the tall girls' long strides.

"Why not? You're powerful, I saw you in gym!"

Meredith mentally slapped herself, that was really stupid of her. Stupid and careless, She stopped walking and leaned against a nearby tree. She kept her voice low, "Look, I can't help you because you're-" she stopped to concentrate-"you're a more a soul witch if I'm right, and I'm definitely an earth witch."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Bonnie said intently, leaning in towards her.

Meredith sighed. This girl really was lost if she didn't know the basic sects. And as long as she didn't have anything better to do..."If you take me some place we can hang out here, I'll tell you about it."

"Okay," Bonnie said eagerly. "My car's this way." She had already started walking and Meredith slowly followed, a little bit of excitement mixing in the reluctance as Bonnie kept glancing back at her. After all, Meredith usually didn't socialize too much doing rituals in the woods.

It turned out the place closest to school in the small town was called the grill. It wasn't a hoppin' night club, or quite a calm coffee shop, but Meredith knew it would do and as she sat down she instinctively fell into her people-watching habit, but Bonnie's impatient questions distracted her and she remembered what she promised.

"I can't help you too much, Bonnie, but I can give you some general witch info. There are a lot of different kinds of witches. The two most common are Earth-" Meredith pointed to herself, "and soul." She pointed at Bonnie. "The other kinds include some elementals, spirit witches," she rolled her eyes, "you know, types that are about one and a million-and-a-half." Bonnie noted she didn't seem to think much of it, and she verbalized it. "Well, I don't think much of them. It's not that they're so inferior, it's just they're so weak some of them, most of them, in fact, never even realize they are witches." She shrugged. "Really, the only ones worth mentioning are witches like us."

"What kinds of spells do earth witches know?" She asked, eyes wide.

"Oh, the spells that get the same results, but are preformed very differently. So I cannot help you with any of your magic, nor you mine." She shrugged, and Bonnie thought, irritated, that the new girl did that a lot.

"How are our spells so different?" she asked.

"Well, I get my power from- you guessed it- earth, living things. Plants, mostly. Your power comes from you, your essence, your soul. Kind of self-explanatory, the names."

Bonnie looked crushed.

Meredith opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but closed it as if deciding not to. Unfortunately, Bonnie noticed. "What is it? Tell me." She said intensely.

Meredith felt a flicker of annoyance. Bonnie didn't know it, but she'd been sending out power, trying to influence Meredith. Meredith sent it back to her double-fold, and was childishly satisfied when she saw Bonnie gasp. "Don't do that again. Intentionally, or not, got it?" Bonnie nodded. "Good. I was going to say, if it's any consolation, soul witches are generally considered the most powerful type of witch one could be." Meredith saw a dangerous glint in Bonnie's eyes. "Of course, one would have to be a _fully competent _witch to begin with." She looked at Bonnie pointedly and made it clear she thought Bonnie was one of the incompetent ones. "Then again, there are many earth witches who would disagree with what I've told you."

"And you're not one of them?" she asked carefully.

"I believe it depends on the witch. After all, what is that belief but a prejudice? It's like calling all blondes dumb. Not necessarily true, but it might make the brunette saying it feel better."

Bonnie looked down. "You really can't help me, can you?"

Meredith sighed, "No I'm afraid you're on your own, but I can give you one piece of advice. If you ever do see an earth witch again, don't stick around to chat. What I told you about their disagreements on which side is more powerful, that's only skimming the top. They have a whole violent history even I'm not sure on. Some may operate on an attack first, don't care enough to ask later attitude, okay?"

Bonnie nodded. "But why don't you act like that?"

"Would you like me to?" she joked, but added quickly at Bonnie's alarmed look, "I didn't have a traditional upbringing, okay? Much like you." Bonnie was quiet just sitting with her for half an hour. Finally, Meredith patted her hand. "You'll be fine." But before she could get her skin away from Bonnie's, the contact produced a vision using Bonnie's life force. Meredith tried to shake it off, but Bonnie had felt something and now looked at her with distrust.

"I should go." True to her word, Bonnie got up and left.

Meredith had to lay her head on the table and dig her nails into her arm deep enough to draw blood to keep from going after Bonnie and telling her what she and seen. Meredith learned the hard way not to interfere with the future. Just like she didn't tell Caroline she would become a vampire— Meredith didn't warn Bonnie that while she may be powerful, that power came straight from her. It would take its toll on her. Now she remembered why she didn't like to socialize.

She stayed at the grill for hours, saddened, but still determined not to go back to her tiny, cold tent in the (dark) middle of nowhere. She ordered food at one point and ordered numerous coffee-type drinks throughout her stay.

The grill was almost closing when she saw Alaric walk in. She thought he hadn't seen her yet, so she decided she'd duck out of there before he noticed her. He was a mystery she wasn't ready for. If he was only a human, then what was he doing in those woods? Why was he so intriguing? _Aside from the teacher thing_, she chucked to herself. She looked down to pay her bill, and when she looked up she didn't see him again.

She was walking out the door when a man suddenly backed up in front of her and she walked into him, which was a lot like walking into a brick wall. Meredith landed on her ass, and miraculously, absolutely everything fell out of her purse. The man helped her to pick up her things. "I'm so-" When he looked up Meredith saw surprise in his eyes. "-sorry." he finished. All her things collected, and a little too intrigued by him, she was eager to get out of there. She thought about his face as she walked home.

Alaric didn't relax until he got home and he finally took the wallet out of his jeans. It was a plain cloth beige wallet— not especially girly. He wasn't entirely pleased with himself for taking it. He sat down on his bed. That wouldn't stop him from opening it.


	4. Ding Dong Dead

**So, I don't own the Vampire Diaries, or any character except Raife. I also rewrote parts of this chapter and am much more pleased with it the second time around.**

The wallet was on his bed. Alaric palmed it and tested its weight. It seemed suspiciously heavy and fat. Time to see why.

He took a deep breath and unbuttoned the first flap. Meredith Suelez looked back at him. It said she was 17. He shook his head. How did he get himself wrapped up with an _underage _girl? Inexperienced girls were never his thing.

He withdrew the license. On the other hand, Meredith didn't seem so inexperienced. He looked down and saw a different ID with a different name, but the same girl smiling from that little plastic square. This one said she was 24. Okay, a lot of teens had a fake ID. It wasn't wildly odd yet.

Alaric ripped through the rest of the wallet. Fifty dollars cash, eight different credit cards, and _oh yeah, _six different types of ID, all authentic looking, professional made. All with different ages and names. One in particular said she was 36, and in that picture she looked it. She had to be either very rich, or well-connected to have these. Add to that the strange woods encounter and the dream she had invaded, Alaric was sure something supernatural was going on.

He didn't know who Meredith was, but he and her were going to have a talk after school tomorrow. He threw the wallet he'd been gripping with a tight fist to the floor.

He got ready for bed the same as usual, but all the while thinking of the things he'd do and say to her. When he lay down to sleep, he found he still needed the lamp. It made him even angrier at Meredith, though he knew she wasn't the reason he woke up in a not-so-shallow grave and was now scared of the dark like some five-year old.

Meredith had a killer headache this morning. She hadn't realized she'd lost her wallet until she had gotten back to her tent. Three guesses as to who stole it. She had been up all night worrying about what Alaric would do. If he turned it in, there were some illegal cards in there. She could get in trouble and Raife would have to bail her out. She shivered at the thought.

Finally, she was here in his class, fully anticipating an antsy Alaric just like that first day, when all of a sudden he looked at her and smirked. She almost gasped. He talked to the class in a smooth, controlled voice that seemed almost seductive. Meredith wasn't the only one who thought that. She looked around her and saw that all the girls were paying rapt attention to whatever boring history lesson he was teaching today. She didn't see Elena in class, but Meredith didn't really care because, while she wasn't the only one who'd noticed the change in voice, she was the only one Alaric was gazing at with cool eyes that somehow seemed to blaze.

When the bell rang, Meredith found she couldn't go through with her plan to talk to Alaric after class, and instead high-tailed it out of there.

It was a challenge for her not to skip any class after that, let alone gym, but somehow she got herself there. Unfortunately it was some ridiculous testing day and the teacher said everyone must run two miles under fifteen minutes, otherwise you'd get a failing grade.

Meredith was too freaked out to concentrate on a spell to get out of it. She couldn't even concentrate on her running. Caroline and Bonnie were way ahead of her. She kept a up a slow jog and they had too swift a pace for Meredith. Alaric was supposed to be the one off his game and Meredith was supposed to be the one thoroughly enjoying it! Not the other way around! She found that when the teacher told her her time, she couldn't even remember the 13 and a half minutes that now had her fully exhausted.

She was happy to leave school that day. She planned on maybe doing a healing ritual on herself. Just to ease her sore muscles. She knew she was a wimp physically and had no desire to change anytime soon. Walking home, she spotted Bonnie coming towards her.

Meredith hurried as much as she could without collapsing and turned a corner and then quickly ducked into a store and hid behind a display. She watched Bonnie hurry past, her head scanning left and right, with a distressed look on her face.

Meredith didn't feel guilty. Knowing her wouldn't help Bonnie one lick.

She continued on her walk home, but stopped when she realized she'd run out of soap back at the tent. She _needed_ a shower. Of course, her version of a shower was a dip in the lake, but still, she needed her soap to have a successful shower.

The only store she knew of that carried soap was a twenty minute walk away. She groaned. The lengths she would go to not to stink!

When she finally got to the store she ended up buying five soaps of all different scents. Overcompensation. She also bought a bunch of other things, and before she knew it the sun was setting and she realized that her inner shopping maniac had taken over for an hour.

She paid the check out lady with over one hundred dollars in cash— she no longer had any damn credit cards— and realized she'd have to walk with all her loot back home. She rolled her eyes. _What is wrong with me?_

It was starting to get dark when she neared her woods. Her arms hurt from the bags, her legs from all the running and walking, and she was an overall unaware girl.

That's why she didn't notice the man in the dark alley until he grabbed her arm and she went flying into said alley.

She struggled as best as she could, but the man was a lot stronger and her arms were tangled up in her bags. He pushed her up against a wall and for a moment it hurt so bad she stopped struggling. In that moment she saw his face.

"Alaric?" She was absurdly confused and hurt the first second, but then the pain returned and she tried to scream. He slammed his whole body into hers and knocked the wind out of her. He put his hand over her mouth, but it wasn't necessary— she couldn't have screamed anyway.

"Who are you?" he growled and watched in satisfaction as her eyes widened.

Her brows drew down and looked at his hands covering her mouth. He moved his hand from her mouth to her neck and squeezed lightly. "Tell me." he commanded, his eyes cutting into her.

"Fuck you." She gasped and his fingers tightened just a little around her neck.

"Wouldn't mind if you did." He whispered into her ear. His hand slid and gripped the back of her neck and tilted her head back. She felt his breath on her neck and for a moment his grip felt gentle, but then he slammed her back against the wall hard enough to bruise her back and his face peered into hers again. "Who are you?" He demanded once more.

Meredith arched against him. _That always works in the movies, right? _You distract a guy you know is interested in you until they lose concentration and then you take advantage._ Yeah, Alaric will be putty. _

"Tell me." His voice was deeper now, but he seemed determined. She decided to up the play a little bit. She moaned and arched against him. It was a little scary that she was starting to enjoy this.

"Meredith." He warned, pulling away. _Almost there..._

_"_Alaric!" Her breath caught and she rocked into him.

"You want to play that game? Fine." His hand stroked through her hair and he slammed his hips into hers.

She writhed. "Please touch me, Alaric!" She cried out, closing her eyes in case he saw the evil glee in them for her trick.

"Tell me." He whispered against her cheek, his lips touching the soft skin. She seized her oportunity. She tugged against him with all her strength and kneed him in the stomache (She _had_ aimed for the groin, but whatever). To her surprise he only grunted, and didn't let go. His hands tightened around her and he looked angry. She struggled to try and continue the farse. "Alaric, oh yes!" She wiggled against him teasingly.

"You want me to touch you?" One hand roamed under her shirt and pulled her bra down. She started, not expecting him to do such a brazen thing, and shocked at the pleasure she felt from it. He massaged and pinched her nipple. "Meredith, tell me, and I'll stop." He looked at her with a smile. She moaned, involuntarily this time, and his hips nudged at hers as he stroked her breasts. "Or maybe you'd like for this to go further." He grinned and in the darkness, Meredith tried to push him back again, knowing that she couldnt do this with him and trying to stop herself before she made a bad decision. All it did was succeed in dislodging his hand from her breast. He moved it to her stomach, holding her against the wall still.

Meredith was afraid she'd start begging. She'd never been this hot and wet for anyone before. Except Raife. But she didn't want a repeat of the sick relationship she had with him. No matter how much she wanted Alaric she couldn't let this happen.

"Stop." She said, unsuccessfully pushing against him.

"_What_ are you?" he finally asked and Meredith panicked. She'd never actually told anyone about her before, and she wasn't about to start. Bonnie could sense her, but she was only a fellow witch. If a witch happened to confide in a _hunter_? That witch was ding dong dead. Hunters were beyond powerful. _Maybe_ a vamp could evade a hunter who had discovered his secret, but witches were screwed when a hunter learned about them. They were the best of the best of the humans, and they had all sorts of tricks up their sleeves. Some of them even had things they'd stolen from witches to aide them.

That's why Meredith just panicked. She put her hands, bags dangling from her arms, to Alaric's face and the next thing she knew he was on the filthy ground in the alley, dead. She gave a freaked squeak as she felt for a pulse. Nope. She'd never killed anyone _on accident _before!

Please, god, don't let Raife find out about this! No one was supposed to be strong enough to pull off a death spell without the incantation, the ritual! Meredith wasn't even saying it in her head and it happened! Not only would that please Raife, but he'd find a ways to test her, to use her.

"Shit!" She kicked Alaric. "It's all your fault!" She looked at him once more and felt an odd sense of loss and regret. He was too pretty to die this way. Why were the pretty ones always so stupid? Who messed with a witch this way and got themselves killed?

She wanted to kick him again, but settled for picking up a lost bag and adjusted the ones she'd kept a hold of. She walked home, and it was just like her run, she didn't even notice the physical strain. Her shower was the gold at the end of the rainbow, but when she got home she found a hole in one of the bags that the soap must have fallen out of.

She sat down on her air mattress, in her tent, and just cried.


	5. Nightlight

"Ugh." Alaric took his first breath in what felt like forever. His heartbeat raced and for a moment all he saw was black. He felt the earth pressing down on his chest. He was cold to the bone, and it was _so dark…_

But then his eyes adjusted and the gray of very early morning set in. Alaric sat straight up and almost pissed himself with relief. For that moment the memory was all too real. He was back in the ground, doomed and buried. Thankfully, he wasn't buried, he was-where was he?

He looked around. He was in a dimly lit alley. The same alley he'd grabbed Meredith in. The same one he pushed her against a wall and she—he shuddered with pleasure. Being close to her felt so good. Feeling her fear had even felt good.

She had a lot of identities, but he'd attacked her for no reason. What kind of man was he becoming, to so enjoy what had just happened with Meredith? He was angry and he'd taken it out on her, but what did she really do? He rubbed a hand through his hair, and it was sticky and stiff, probably from the ground of the alley.

Alaric wondered how she'd gotten away. He had trained himself specifically to hunt _vampires_, and that a human girl could escape him made him all the more curious about her. How had she done it? Did she have a knife stashed away? No, there were no holes or dried blood on him anywhere. Did she have a taser and merely knock him unconscious? But no, he knew the difference between dead and unconscious. Besides, her arms had been completely tangled in the bags she had held.

He looked around again. There was a package of soap lying near him. Was that a joke or something? He ran his hand through his hair again and grimaced. Well, he _did _need a shower. He picked up the soap and headed home.

Thankfully, while in the shower he remembered his teaching responsibilities. Alaric looked at his wristwatch and thanked god for small favors. He had an hour before he had to be at school. At least he hadn't been dead that long this time. He was starting to get a hold of this whole dying thing.

* * *

Meredith wasn't even sure what she was doing here. She was supposed to be having a stress-free vacation back to her birth town, but so far all it had been was stressful. She should just skip out and spend the rest of her free time in Disney World or something.

But that would look suspicious-her not showing up on the day Alaric's body would probably be found. She _so_ did not want to ask Raife for help if they put out a BOLO for her or something.

So she decided to go to school. First, however, she decided to do the healing ritual that morning, since she had been too tired to go through with it last night. She walked up to a healthy oak tree and put her hands on it's bumpy trunk. She whispered the words that would energize her as she pulled the life from the oak tree. The spell was not especially long, but she got tired halfway through and leaned her head against it.

As she uttered the last words she felt a shock that was not electric, but was life, shoot through her body. Taking a deep breath, she pulled away form the tree and stretched. She felt just fine now. When she looked at the tree it was dead, its trunk crumbling, leaves brown and crinkled. The sight brought tears to her eyes. This was her life. Death. It was what powered her, and try as she might to honor the promise she made to herself every time she saw the destruction she caused, she always did it again.

She walked to school with a sick feeling in her stomach. She kept remembering seeing him dead, and how she'd done it. On accident, without thinking! Raife could never, ever, know, because no matter how powerful she got, Raife would always be more so. Death hadn't really bothered her for a long time, but Raife…

Meredith walked into the history room with a paperback in hand, expecting there wouldn't be any lessons from a sub gotten on such short notice. But she stopped one step from the doorway, for sitting at the teacher's desk was no sub. It was Alaric, like nothing had happened. He turned to face her and the blood drained from her face.

He watched her go pale with satisfaction. She had probably thought he was gone for good. She was about to learn you couldn't get rid of, or even scare, Alaric Saltzman that easy.

A person behind her made an impatient remark, and she moved, stunned, out of the doorway and into the seat she had by Caroline and Elena.

Today's lesson flowed easily off of Alaric's tongue. He talked about differences between revolutions, who, what, why, when, how, as well as the similarities. All the while he stared evenly at Meredith. She didn't hear a word of the lesson, but her eyes were fixed on every move he made, and Alaric enjoyed watching her squirm. His eyes glittered as he regarded her. It was, partly, yes, that he wanted revenge and answers, but didn't she also look so good in that yellow buttercup dress? He wanted her.

Unfortunately, she was the enemy, and such things would have to wait for the right girl. No matter how much he wanted to take her over a table and fuck her mercilessly, his other students there or no. What was it about dying that had him so crazy for her?

Finally, his class ended. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or sorry. On the one hand he might finally get answers, but on the other he was that much closer to getting rid of this girl, which he really didn't want to do.

Before he got to business, he noticed Elena rushing out of class. "Elena!" He reached out to stop her, but she immediately yanked away.

"Just leave me alone!" She whispered, dismayed, before she jogged off.

He locked the door and turned around to see Meredith still sitting in her seat from class, staring at him wearily.

* * *

"What are you?" She asked, deciding to cut the small talk.

"Does it matter?" he replied, slowly walking towards her.

"You tricked me!" She screamed and stood up, slamming her fist on her desk. She had been freaking about it ever since it happened, and it turned out to be another clever hunter trick! Pretend to die and catch the prey off guard later. He wouldn't get her, if she had to say a death spell twenty times out loud to be sure he was truly dead.

"What? By my still breathing?" He rolled his eyes. "I'm going to lose sleep over that one." He continued walking closer.

"Do you have any idea—" She swallowed. She wouldn't explain Raife (or how interested he would have been in the power she apparently didn't even posses) to some stranger trying to kill her. She began to edge away from him now.

"I can't let you hurt anyone. I know you're dangerous." They started circling each other.

"Why would I hurt anyone?" She seemed confused. Then Meredith's eyes narrowed. "And how would you know? Does this have anything to do with the wallet you stole? I want it back, you know."

"You hurt me."

"You pushed me up against a wall and sexually assaulted me, I mean, I know you hunters are pricks, but I'd never thought you'd be so…." She took a deep breath.

"You started it!" He said indignantly.

"Oh, yes, I forgot, I told you to rip my shirt down and play with my breasts. I remember now, how could I forget?"

He had the grace to look ashamed. "That's not what I-" he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about that. I-I-don't know why I did that. You just drive me crazy, not really the good kind of crazy either, evidently." He gave her a look filled with regret, but continued to circle closer to her as she backed away.

Meredith felt a prickle of feminine pride. She had called it assault, but was it assault when you enjoyed it? When she felt their attraction just as intensely as he did? "I think-you remember that first night in the woods?" he nodded. "I was doing a ritual, cleansing, and you ran into it. Sometimes interrupting rituals creates a bond. Most of the time unwanted and unwelcome, and that is why people don't normally run naked through them. Avoids nasty problems like this." She rolled her eyes. "And now I'm bound to a hunter, apparently!"

"Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked, his intense eyes fixed on hers.

"Well what else could you be? You hunted me down, an innocent witch, and tried to kill me."

He finally stopped his slow game of cat and mouse. "You're a witch?" He looked surprised.

Meredith couldn't believe she just said that. She'd never told anyone and it just casually slips out? She scowled. "Got a problem with that, hunter?"

"I'm not a hunter, and-I figured you were a vampire or something, not a-" he stopped.

"So, you attacked a suspected vampire-superstrong creature-with nary a wooden stake on you? You're either very stupid or very powerful. And since you resorted to playing dead, I assume that means you knew you couldn't face me." She puffed with pride. "And why would you think I was a vampire?" She honestly couldn't fathom. Wouldn't a vamp be a lot better in gym?

He wasn't about to inform this girl of his ring's power. He tried to think up a suitable lie. He decided for a partial truth. "I can't die."

"What? Why?" Meredith saw he wouldn't answer when his eyes narrowed, so she narrowed her eyes in turn. "Then at least tell me why you thought I was a vampire." He blushed. "What? Tell me." She demanded.

"Vampires are just usually so sexual, and you…" he trailed off. He didn't allow her time to recover from her surprise before he asked her another question. "Why do you have so many Ids and credit cards?" His suspicion rang loud and clear.

"I don't want to hurt anyone." She sighed. She could see he didn't trust her word. "We obviously aren't bonded, otherwise we wouldn't be so weary of each other." She started waking slowly towards him and he didn't back away. "Please," she held up her hands, "may I show you? I won't hurt you, I promise. Trust me." She left her hands near his face, but did not touch him, and waited for permission.

"The last time you touched me I died. Forgive me if I'm not inclined to trust you." She was sure he would say no now.

"I was scared, and I overreacted. Haven't you ever been scared and desperate?" She could see in his eyes that he had.

He looked down. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way, if you are telling the truth, but I still don't trust you."

Meredith lowered her arms. "I understand. I don't really trust you, either."

"Then why put yourself in potential danger trying to convince me you're not bad?" He reasoned. Alaric didn't know that though Meredith's preservation instincts were phenomenal, she didn't really care if she lived or died. In the heat of the moment, however, she just got scared.

"If you cannot die, why are you so reluctant to try this?" She grinned suddenly. "Besides, maybe I am bad. In all the ways that would interest you."

Alaric found her sexy as hell, he would admit that. Her eyes sparkled with sexual intent, but when he looked closer he saw something under that. An innocence, a pureness, something caring and deeply hurt. It made him grab the hands that had retreated to her sides and hold them to his face.

Meredith almost smiled, the fact he had decided to trust her made her ridiculously happy. She took a shaky breath and closed her eyes. Meredith had only done this when Raife ordered her to, and it was always painful for her. He made sure of it. She didn't know how it would go without him involved. Hopefully, it wouldn't be painful. Raife probably did that for fun. She concentrated on using her life-her energy-to work the spell. Most earth users didn't like to do that to themselves, it was too dangerous, but Meredith sure as hell wasn't about to drain energy form Alaric when the whole point of this was to get him to trust her.

Alaric watched Meredith's brow lower, and a frown form. His was just thinking that she looked cute frowning when a strange feeling swept through his head. His mind seemed almost numb, but that wasn't it. It was more like a humming that started in his head and moved through his body. White light surrounded him until he no longer saw anything. He also couldn't feel Meredith's hands on his cheeks, but he could feel her in his brain. He tried to shake her out, but that just made him dizzy.

"It's ok. You can trust-" Her voice suddenly dropped and he got the feeling like he was falling. The light wasn't as blinding as before. He heard her moan. He tried to ask if she was okay, but a rush of images, feelings, and thoughts cut him off. He saw Meredith as a young girl, playing in a big backyard with no one else around her, he saw that same little girl sobbing as a strange cruel man took her away, she was in another backyard, this one dark and dead-still alone, she was being teased at school, the strange man mocking her, _he_ always making her do spells she couldn't or didn't want to do, _he _controlled her, she called him boss-he was always unhappy with the title, _he _owned her soul. Then, as she got older, things changed. He was _always _around Meredith. Mocking her, praising her, _taking_ her. And her, in some deep, twisted part of the soul she's never owned, _enjoying_ even as she tried to quit him. But he was impossible to escape from, for any reason, and in any way. Meredith had accepted long ago that he owned her.

The world came back to him in a rush as he tried to process all that happened. "Meredith?" He opened his eyes and saw the ceiling. Meredith lay on top of him. "Meredith?" He sat up and moved her body so she lay across his lap and in his arms. She was unconscious. "Meredith, wake up." She moaned, and a hand moved to her head. He picked her up, intent on taking her to a hospital. There was now no doubt in his mind that she wasn't evil. She had done bad things, yes, but that guy, the one who abused her all her life, somehow controlled her and made her do it. Amazingly, through it all, Alaric could feel that her soul remained uncorrupted.

"Please set me down, I'll be fine." Her eyes were still squeezed shut in pain and Alaric was doubtful, but he laid her down on his desk. How many of his fantasies had started like this? But she was fully conscious in those. He saw her take a deep breath and open her eyes. She smiled up at him, and at that moment Alaric had the absurd thought she looked like an angel. "It just took a bit out of me to use my magic, Alaric; I'll be fine in a second." Her eyes fell to his hand. "Is that the ring? The one that keeps you alive?"

His eyes widened in shock. "How did you know about that? I didn't tell you that."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think the ritual would get so out of hand. I only ever did it with one other guy, and it definitely was not like this. I think I learned more than you wanted me to know." She regarded him with sadness.

"I learned a lot about you, too, you know." Her eyes widened in shock. "Would the 'only ever' guy be the same one that hurts you, that you think owns you?"

She looked at him with alarm. "You shouldn't know that, if he ever found out he'd kill you!" She looked around desperately, like she didn't know what to do.

"Calm down. How would he find out?" He tried to pacify her.

"If he does to me what I just did to you, how can he not find out?" She looked panicked.

"He doesn't own you, you can run away-"

She tried to sit up, but had to grab his arm for support. "You don't understand! He does own me, and he always will, until the contract my mother made with him wears off and I'm finally free. He's not just some guy, either! He's got powers I can't even dream of!"

"Where is he now? I'll kill him." The fury in his eyes, the truth, and the determination all made Meredith weak at the knees. Good thing she wasn't standing. No one had ever offered to be her knight for her. It was heart-rending. And terrifying.

"You can never do that. He would kill you with a glance." She looked up at him seriously. "Besides, _I_ don't even know where he is right now. He took a vacation, and gave me free reign to do the same."

"A vacation?" He asked.

"Yes. And no, it's never happened before."

"Wait, why would you come here on vacation?" He asked with a smile.

She looked down. "This is where I grew up." Sweet eyes met his. "I missed the trees." She said softly.

He put a hand under her chin and was about to kiss her when the door bust open and an angry vampire flew at Alaric.

Damon wasn't pleased with Alaric. He had known Elena couldn't avoid him forever, after all, she couldn't keep skipping classes, but for Alaric to have touched her? Put a bruise on her arm? Scared her so bad? He would kill the bastard for that. He would kill Alaric, and this time he would make sure Alaric stayed dead.

They were on the ground struggling with each other when Meredith walked over to them and dug her nails into Damon's neck. Her mouth moved with words Alaric didn't understand and Damon started making choking noises, though Damon was the one with his hands around Alaric's neck. Slowly his grip slackened until he fell over onto his side on the floor, wheezing.

His skin began to rot, but she still held on, a fierce expression in her eyes. She didn't let go until Damon was an unmoving pile of wrinkled old leather. He smelt a little like beef jerky. She was breathing hard and her cheeks were a violent pink. "Here," she giggled, "let me get that for you." She leaned over Damon's body to touch Alaric's own neck. He flinched a little, but soon realized she was doing him no harm. "There! All healed." She giggled and fell back on her butt. Alaric got the sense she was a bit drunk because of whatever she just did to Damon.

"Thanks," his hand felt his neck and there wasn't a trace of the pain or swelling that should have been there after Damon choked him like that. As his hand moved back down he noticed the time on his wrist. "Shit! I have a class in five minutes!" He looked around him. "What am I going to do with him?"

Meredith sobered a little. "He's a vampire, but he should be out for a day at least. And you obviously can't carry the body out of here. You have to hide him."

"How? There are no closets in here!" He seemed frantic.

"You could hide him under your desk." Meredith suggested.

It was a big, old, blonde desk, with no wheels, and therefore no space between the bottom of the desk and the floor. It would have to do.

He dragged Damon over there and tried to contort his body so it would fit in the awkward square space a chair would usually go in. Meredith helped, and after many swear words, and an odd crunching sound they so did not want to know about, they finally got him to fit. It should do, as long as he asked no one to the blackboard that was behind the desk.

There was knocking at his door. Not a moment to soon, it seemed.

"I'll get it, I better go anyway." Meredith rose to leave, but Alaric grabbed her wrist.

"We'll talk later, right?" Alaric didn't know if he was being paranoid, but he didn't like the tone she had said it in. It was almost like she thought she was leaving for good.

Meredith smiled down at him, as he was still sitting on the floor next to Damon. "If you like."

"I would like." He grinned at her.

"I'll see you later then." She turned to go and he got up from the floor and took the notes from his desk for his next class.

* * *

After work, Alaric did something decidedly naughty. He went into the woods behind the Salvatore house and dug a quick hole. It wasn't very deep, but Alaric didn't have all night. He then unceremoniously dumped Damon into it. He didn't bother to take off Damon's clothes-he wasn't into that sort of thing. He just wanted Damon to know how it felt to be buried alive.

After that he had gone to The Grill, figuring Meredith would be there as well. In fact, he had stayed there five hours hoping she would eventually show up. Eventually he conceded the fact she wouldn't be there. So he went home. Imagine his surprise to see her sitting on his front porch.

Meredith had been waiting awhile. She hadn't planned on staying…until Alaric asked her to. She found she didn't have the heart to say no to him, especially not after experiencing his life so vividly, and trusting him more than she would likely ever trust anyone again in her life.

He smiled at her. "Hey." He sat down next to her.

"Hey." She replied, looking down.

"I'd thought you left." He seemed pleased she didn't.

"I couldn't, you have all my credit cards."

He didn't say anything for a moment. "Is that why you stayed?"

Meredith looked up at him. "Yes." He seemed disappointed. "I mean, no." She sighed, and tried to explain herself. "I mean, yes in that I couldn't have gone without them, but no in that I would have stayed even if I had them." There was an awkward silence. Meredith finally broke it. "Can we, ah, go inside? It's getting kind of cold." She knew it was Virginia, but really, the nights did get cold when you're used to warm, sunny days.

"Yeah, of course." He got up and unlocked the door.

He ushered her in and lead her to his living room. He brought her some refreshments and they sat on the couch. They couldn't seem to start a conversation, but when Meredith finally remembered to ask what happened to Damon it seemed to be the icebreaker they'd needed. He told her what he did. She didn't judge him, didn't question his decision. Rather, she understood it and agreed with him. She was the only one who knew what he went through. He remembered experiencing her life, and how deeply he felt it. He asked what she had seen about him.

"I saw you as a child," his jaw tightened, his parents were filthy rich and had ignored him all his life, focusing more on the next big gala event or whatnot, "I saw you in school, at college, with Isabel…" her face darkened. "Buried." It was almost a whisper, but Alaric heard it.

He took her in his arms and tears came to his eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

She pulled away to look at him. "Dealing with other's pain is easy, Alaric. I just wish you wouldn't have had to go through that."

He looked into her eyes and all he saw was kindness and compassion. "How can you still be you after living with that monster your whole life?" He looked at her with wonder.

She smiled and blushed. "Trust me, I'm more than enough of a bitch sometimes myself, and I'm not always so…understanding."

"But you always will be with me." He said simply, looking at her lips.

"Yes, I suppose I will." She leaned in.

"How old are you, really? Which license is correct?" He asked, ruining the mood.

She gave a forced laugh. "None of them?" It was a question. At his confused look, she elaborated. "I've been places, places where time paces differently. And not a time zone difference, but different _dimensions_, places where a hundred years can pass, where only one here would. I've even lost all knowledge of any birth date I may have had."

He looked shocked, and confused all at the same time. She expected him to bombard her with questions about these other dimensions, but all he said was, "that's terrible." He grabbed her empty glass and headed into the kitchen. She supposed that was her cue to leave, but she didn't want to go.

When he came back she asked him a question before he could speak. "I'm sorry to do this to you Alaric, but…" She took a deep breath. "I've been living in the woods in a tent, and, um, I was just wondering if, maybe, just for tonight-"

"Of course you can stay here tonight, Meredith." He said, moving past his initial shock. "I'll show you the guest bedroom." He led her to a plain bedroom with a bed already made up in it. "If you get cold in the night, I can get you some more blankets."

She thanked him and he said goodnight.

* * *

Alaric was trying to sleep (lamp on, of course), when Meredith walked in. He sat up, figuring she needed more blankets when his gaze fell on her. Something _else_ sat up as well. She was stark naked. "I thought I'd return the favor."

He quickly turned his head to the side and tried not to stare. "Um." He coughed and his brows furrowed. "You should, ahem, um…." He couldn't seem to speak.

He felt the bed bend from her weight. He shut his eyes hard. "I can't-" He felt her fingers on his lips.

"Shh." She kissed him and slid onto his lap. He could feel her warmth through his boxers and sent a quick prayer up that he would neither take her nor embarrass himself. She moved against him in his lap and his stomach dropped like he was on a rollercoaster. Her lips were so soft and warm against his, gentle but insistent. Her kiss started off so soft that it almost tickled his lips. When she deepened it and prodded her tongue through his lips, he could resist no longer. He wrapped his arms around her hips and kissed her back fiercely. He felt the hard tips of her breasts rub against his bare chest. She moaned and pushed him back on the bed and clicked off his lamp as he obliged.

He sat bolted upright, panicked. The light CAN'T be off. "What's wrong?" She asked, God, she had such a sweet voice.

"The light, I need-" He stopped as he realized he was okay. He wasn't overcome with panic. He pulled Meredith off of him, distracted, but the moment he was no longer touching her, his breath seized and he had trouble breathing.

"Oh my god, Alaric, are you alright?" Her warm hands felt his clammy forehead and he was suddenly fine.

He grabbed her wrist and hauled her to him. He pressed kisses to the top of her head and held her close, all the while saying over and over, "it's you, it's you. You make it go away." Meredith knew what he was talking about instantly. She clutched at him. _How stupid of me not to have remembered how the darkness affects him now! I was in his head and everything!_

"I'm sorry, Alaric, I forgot-"

It was his turn to shush her. "You're my angel." He whispered. "You're my nightlight." He held her close all through the night. Meredith wasn't sure, but before she drifted off to sleep, she thought she felt some wetness in her hair.


	6. Back With a Vengeance

He slept all through the night, sans nightmare. Then he woke up surrounded by daylight with a beautiful woman sleeping soundly right next to him. He wondered how long it had been since she slept on a real bed. He touched her thick dark hair. When she didn't wake up, he grew bolder and traced her lips. Still asleep. He pulled her towards him into his embrace. Hopefully she would believe it happened in the middle of the night. She snuggled into him and he realized he made a mistake in putting her so close to him.

Meredith's first waking awareness was of how wet and hot she was feeling. Slowly her brain returned to her and she realized it was because Alaric was holding her, and that he was enjoying it. And that she could definitely feel his enjoyment in the perfect spot. Without any real thought, she moved onto his chest and started kissing him.

He reacted immediately and kissed her back. He must have been awake. His hands slid over her bare back down to her hips. His hips were nudging against hers. She moved her hands down to the only piece of cloth separating them—his boxers. She was just about to slip him out of that handy dandy little hole all boxers have when a thought struck her and she laughed.

He looked up a bit angrily, probably supposing she laughed at him. "I just figured out why you want me so bad." She grinned down at him.

"Tell me." He smiled, interested, but not as interested as he had been when she was kissing him.

"Well, you're simply a guy." He laughed and started to touch her again, but she caught his hands and moved them to her breasts to hold still. He really didn't mind. He tried to wiggle his fingers and she gasped. "Stop that. I'm not done." He didn't stop and she moaned. "I will move your fingers." He stopped. "Good. Well, when guys wake up they are sometimes hard and horny—"

"Morning wood—" He interrupted.

"Yes I know! Anyway, what was your death if not a very long sleep?"

He grinned up at her, understanding her logic. "I have resurrection wood?"

She laughed. "Exactly! You'd probably react this way to everybody!" She thought he'd be pleased, but she saw she was wrong when he frowned up at her. He flipped them over so that he lay on top of her. He kissed her harshly, forcing his tongue through her lips and grinding his hips against hers involuntarily when she sucked it further into her mouth.

Alaric didn't like the thought that he would feel this way with any girl. Meredith was surely wrong. No other girl could possibly have cured him of nightmares, of fear, and drive him insane with lust all at the same time. She was wrong, and he would show her, even if it took all morning.

Then his alarm went off. "Fuck." He stopped kissing her and wondered if he had the strength to stop to get ready for school. Jobs sucked. He had forgotten he had one for a while.

"No! Don't get up!" She clung to his shoulders.

"I have to get ready for school-"

"Hit the snooze!" She pulled him onto her lips with surprising strength.

He laughed. "You'd be content with 10 minutes? I wouldn't."

"I need you." She whispered, nuzzling against him.

"I'm sorry." He pulled away from her and got off the bed. "I never snooze, so the alarm is set the latest I could possibly wake up." She pouted. What kind of person didn't snooze? "Tonight. I promise." He kissed Meredith on the forehead and left her and bed for the shower. She briefly considered following him and seducing him in the shower, but decided not to, appeasing herself with the thought that maybe she could make him really uncomfortable at school today.

Her plan came complete with a new outfit, so she made herself rise from bed earlier than she might have otherwise. As soon as Alaric got out of the shower, she slipped past him to get in while the water was still warm. She grinned to herself when his eyes followed her. He stayed in the bathroom shaving as she washed. Meredith surprised herself by finding it comforting, nice. It felt good to wake up with someone and be happy just because of their presence.

When she got out of the shower he was gone. She didn't much mind. She had things to do before school anyway. She used his shampoo and soap. She brushed her hair with his bush and wrapped herself with his towels. _I wish I could just sink into his life._ The thought frightened her at first. Wouldn't that mean loosing herself? But then she remembered that she didn't much like her life anyway and a boring life as someone's wife cooking and cleaning sounded perfect and preferable to the life she led now. She could live sheltered and safe in a home and…

The longing hit her hard, and for a moment she just leaned against the condensation-streaked bathroom walls. She shook it off and dressed in an old blue plaid shirt of Alaric's with the pants she wore last night. They needed to be washed, but she wouldn't be wearing them for long anyway.

Just like Meredith expected, she found an open shop along the same strip of businesses that The Grill was on that sold cute clothes. The shopkeepers in these quaint little towns always woke up so early! It was expensive, but now she had her handy-dandy credit cards back. Her usual style consisted of pretty, flowing, and long dresses. She had tons of them, along with the occasional pair of jeans and tees. But today she tried for a completely different look. She grinned at herself in the mirror, knowing it was the littlest bit skanky and liking it. She wondered what Alaric would think.

0000000

Alaric's jaw dropped when he saw Meredith. He left this morning before he lost it and attacked her in the shower, hoping his lust would have died down before he saw her again, but now it was back with a vengeance. _Man, what is she wearing? _She did this on purpose for sure. She didn't even seem to care that the other girls were glaring at her.

So, Meredith knew that this was cruel of her. She knew it was hideously clichéd and that every girl was glaring at her, either because they thought she was a whore or that they wished they had what she did, or hell, maybe both! But all Meredith cared about was every lingering glance _Mr. Saltzman_ tried not to give her. She uncrossed her legs and flashed Alaric when no one else was looking. The short plaid skirt didn't offer much in the way of coverage. The low cut top was just that, low cut, and she knew his plaid button-up complemented the outfit perfectly. But, honestly, the lacey lingerie wasn't her fault. That cute little boutique didn't offer anything else. All in all she was dressed up as any hot-blooded male's dream, let alone a teacher's.

Alaric ended up teaching the class sitting down. The bulge in his pants was too embarrassing, and he suspected his students were tired of politely averting their gaze. _Unless they didn't notice, _he thought to himself hopefully. Mercifully the bell rang and they filed out and Alaric devoted himself to getting rid of his little problem by trying to think of long ago battles or something. _Well, not little_, he amended, chuckling.

Meredith was the last one in line out the door, but she didn't leave. Instead she shut the door and locked it. Se perched on the edge of Alaric's desk and looked at him from lowered eyelashes. "I think I need a little extra help, Mr. Saltzman."

He rolled his eyes. "Knock it off."

"Please?" Meredith pouted. "I'll do _anything_ for that 'A'."

"Seriously, I'm not into that." He insisted.

"Really?" She said doubtfully with a hint of humor. She leaned over the desk to look into Alaric's lap. "I'd say you are." She got off the desk and went to her knees where he sat behind it. "It's ok. I really don't mind." Lord knows she'd done worse shit with Raife.

Alaric caught her hands before they got further than his thighs. He stood and pulled her up. "The school girl thing isn't what's turning me on. It's just you, Meredith." He looked at her lips.

For some stupid reason, Meredith's eyes teared up. Her first thought was that it had to be some mean joke and they were just playing. Then he kissed her, and she realized that this was real, the only real thing she'd ever had with another person. She threw herself into the kiss and wrapped her hands underneath his jacket to hug his torso.

Alaric picked her up and set her on his desk. His mouth moved down to her neck. "Alaric!" He heard her throaty laugh and saw her joyous smile. His mouth went back down till he was kissing the tops of her breasts. "You have class soon!" But she didn't protest when he tugged her thighs further apart.

"I changed my mind." He tugged her shirt further down and was happy with the lack of a bra. "All I need is 10 minutes." She laughed and untucked his shirt.

His hands were touching an interesting place when the knock on his door sounded. His forehead dropped to Meredith's. "Tonight, I swear. Meet me at The Grill?" He whispered before he pulled away, and she nodded. Meredith sighed and tucked her boobs back into her shirt. He fixed his shirt and ran a hand through his hair. She stalked over to the door and opened it to find Elena.

"Are you free to talk?" She asked Alaric as she walked over to him.

"Sure. And good luck with that historically accurate painting you have to do in art, Meredith." He said.

Meredith smirked at his dumb lie. She wasn't even in art. "Thanks, Ric. You've been a real help." Before she left she heard Elena apologize for something. Probably for having Damon sicced on him. She put it out of her head. Damon wouldn't face Alaric again if he valued his life.

00000000

Meredith decided to change since The Grill was where most of the kids from the school hang out and seeing her having dinner with Alaric like that would likely draw negative rumors and attention to Alaric. Meredith didn't want that. She picked out a new dress from the little boutique she went to before school and found the cutest blue and white dress. It reminded her of the clouds on a perfect day.

When Meredith got there around six Alaric was already at a table with a basket of what looked like chicken strips and fries. He wanted to buy her some food but she told him not to and just ate about a forth of what he had. He didn't mind and they actually argued about who should get the last fourth. Finally, she got him to eat it. They didn't seem to notice, but quite a few people were giving them dirty looks. Meredith didn't know it, but to the kids at school it seemed like the fact she had changed into a dress made it a date.

Finally she noticed Caroline giving her the eye and motioning her over. She told Alaric she was going to go talk to her and left their table. As soon as Meredith got near her, Caroline started talking in hushed screechy tones. "Ohmigod! Meredith, _what_ are you doing! He is a teacher! That is so wrong, and illegal! What is Alaric thinking!" Her tone had gone up and people started to look up.

Meredith could see that she got herself in a sticky situation that needed to be resolved. She put on her best actor's face. "What! Eww, me and Ric? That's sooo wrong! He's just a family friend, Caroline." She did her best to be convincing, but could see it wasn't working. So, she started a glamour. Just one that would make everyone in the room sure that all that was between them was an innocent friendship. _Ughhh._ It was draining, but hopefully the people here could convince everyone else at school later.

She went back to the table when she was sure Caroline believed it. Jealousy rose up in her when she saw a pretty woman sitting in her seat across from Alaric. "Jenna, this is my new student, Meredith. Meredith, this is Elena's aunt, Jenna."

Meredith saw her own jealousy mirrored in Jenna's eyes. She mentally made the effort to step on the jealousy like it were a disgusting green beetle and she managed to speak in a civilized tone. "Hi, Jenna. Ric is an old family friend. He's showing me around town." Meredith saw the jealousy abate as her glamour fell over Jenna too. She wished her own feelings would disappear as easily.

Jenna held out her hand. Nice to meet you Meredith. If you ever need a second tour guide I'd be happy to help." Meredith shook her hand and all air fled from Meredith's lungs. Jenna didn't notice and turned to Alaric. "I have to run, see you later?" She asked hopefully as she turned to leave. Alaric said sure, and then she was gone.

"Are you okay?" Alaric must have seen how pale Meredith had gotten.

"Fine. I just had to do a little spell to make people think we have an innocuous relationship. I'm still catching my breath."

"Oh, that." He laughed. "That was almost as bad a lie as the art one I told earlier."

"Who was she?" There was no jealousy in Meredith's voice, only a cool detachment. He looked confused, so she clarified. "Who was she to you, I mean?"

He looked surprised. "We went on a date once, but it didn't work out. She seemed kind of flighty. Not the girl for me."

"She isn't flighty!" Meredith snapped. "She had to settle down unexpectedly to care for two hormonal teenagers who lost their parents! How would you feel?" Meredith caught herself and looked at him apologetically. He was staring at her, open mouthed. "Sorry, I guess I just really liked her." The lie weighed heavily on her tongue. "I guess I think there just must be more to her than you think." She peered up into his eyes and gave him a sad smile. "You shouldn't make your judgments so quickly."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. That was me being a jerk." Alaric didn't know what he'd done to ruin such a nice night or how he put the tears he saw building up in her eyes. Maybe all the gossip around them got to her. Or maybe it was that spell and she was just exhausted. That was probably it. "Just let me pay the bill and we can get out of here."

Meredith wished more than wishes themselves that she could tell Alaric what she just saw in Jenna's future. But that was against the rules. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't sob into his arms and beg him not to let it happen. She couldn't tell him that she just saw him and Jenna happily forever after, so please could he just kiss her and tell Meredith it's not true? Alaric was supposed to be hers, Meredith's! At least for one night! But then fate decides to smile down and rip your beating heart from your throat just as you think you're ready to cough it up and give it to some great guy. Nope, no happiness for Meredith! No, happiness is reserved for people like Alaric and Jenna, who are going to get married and have kids together and live in a nice house with a fucking _dog_!

"Meredith?" She got out of her head and saw Alaric's concerned face. She _would _have him for one night, damn it! And they will both enjoy it.

She visibly shook herself and gave him a convincing smile. "That sounds good, Alaric. Let's get home."

()()()()()()()()

"I don't have a funny quip this time, I'm just naked." Meredith stood before Alaric once more in all her glory. A blanket was up to his waist on the bed, but Meredith knew he was naked too. He held out his arms with a smile and she couldn't help but smile back as she climbed on top of him.

They left the light on so they could see each other. His hands stroked her hair and his lips caressed her own. She touched his chest and rubbed their bodies together. The sheet still separated their bodies so she pulled it back and ran her hand along his erection, grinning when he groaned. She was ready for him embarrassingly quick and was positioning his cock at her entrance when he moaned. "Meredith." He said it so full of passion and feeling. It stopped her short. She had expected a different name on his lips. Jenna was the only name he should have said like that. The guilt inside her threatened to overwhelm her and her hand fell from him. He bucked up against her. "Meredith?" _Take him! Jenna and Alaric don't even know they're soul mates yet! You can have him now! Hurry! He wants you now. _

"I can't." Meredith sobbed as she rolled off of him. She was as much telling herself as she was him.

"What's wrong?" He was leaning over her, concerned.

"I can't." She regarded him with regret. "I just cant, it would be…it would mean so much to me, but I. Just. Can't." Her eyes filled with tears. It would mean so much. It would be the only good relationship Meredith had ever had. It would mean she slept with a man she knew wasn't hers and would never be so. It would kill her not to be with him as she desired, but it would kill any sense of honor within her. And the memory would kill her when she had to leave, the memory of what she can never have. So she couldn't go through with it.

"Hey, it's okay." He kissed her cheeks as the tears fell. "I would never make you do anything you don't—"

"That's not it!" She hazarded another quick kiss against his lips. "I do want to! It's just…" She looked down, struggling for words. "It's just, I'm only a nightlight! And someday, I _know_ you're gonna find the girl that eliminates the need for a nightlight! She'll light up your soul, and you'll be a better person just having _known _her! You're going to find your soul mate, and I'm not her, and I can't be with you because the jealousy and longing and guilt would all drive me crazy!" Meredith sat up to go, but Alaric grabbed her arm.

"What are you talking about?" He wouldn't let go.

"I can't explain. You have to trust me!" She looked into his eyes and saw that just as she would always trust him, he would always trust her. They had seen each other's soul with the spell the other day.

"Okay." He let go of her arm. She was moving to the edge of his bed when he stopped her. "But please, stay with me one more night. Just let me hold you." She looked into his face and she couldn't resist. She climbed onto him and he turned the lights off as they snuggled into each other on the bed. She put her head on his chest and let the rest of her tears fall.

OOOOOOO

_**Meredith…Oh, Meredith. Come on my Merry little one. Time to wake up. I've come for you. **_A singsong voice rang through Meredith's head. She opened her eyes and saw nothing but the dark of Alaric's room. _**I'm in the woods by your tent. Come here before I tear the town apart looking for you.**_ He couldn't find her exact location, just a general one. And he really would tear the town apart for her. _I'm coming._ She sent back through their telepathic link.

She wiggled out from Alaric's arm and dressed quickly. She was near the door when she looked back. He slept soundly. Her heart softened the way she never thought it could. She went back to him and kissed him on the lips. "If you weren't spoken for, Alaric, I think this would be the time when the girl says 'I'll come back for you'. Such as it is…" She shrugged though she knew he was sleeping and wouldn't see, and kissed him once more on the lips. On her way out the door she stepped on something. She picked it up and held it close to her eyes so she could see. Alaric's shirt…She clutched it close to her heart and kept going.

She made the way through the woods, feeling along the path his power made for her. Finally, she found him, but there was a strange girl with him. "Meredith. Finally. Meet my daughter and your new sister. It took me a while to get her from where I had her stashed away, but I think we'll all be one big happy family from now on, don't you?" The new girl had straight fiery red hair and pale purple eyes, loking nothing like Raife's dark green eyes and light blonde hair. She wasn't really his daughter. That was what Raife called Meredith too. Raife and Meredith sure as hell weren't related, and Meredith and this new girl sure as hell weren't sisters. Along with the unusual looks, the new girl also had a disrespectful stare down pat. She was looking at Meredith with her lips twisted in displeasure and with a gleam in her eyes that said she was looking forward to making her life a living hell. _Great. This should be fun._

"Are you ready?" Raife held out his hand and Meredith hesitated. "Clarissa?" The new girl took his hand without hesitation. One needed to be touching Raife's skin in order to get to his home dimension. That was where he did all his business. That wasn't, however, why Meredith hesitated. Whenever someone touched Raife's skin, they saw a vision of their greatest desire. And then immediately after are hit with the knowledge that that which would make them happiest will never be theirs. Meredith always envisioned a life without Raife, and had gotten used to the pain of the visions, but today it seemed she couldn't reach out. Clarissa hadn't hesitated. Raife continued to hold out his hand, one eyebrow twitched up.

It was a game he played. He would wait until she touched him, because it wouldn't work if he touched them. Finally, she swallowed and took his hand. His grinning face was the last thing she saw before she went spiraling into the vision. Alaric smiling at her as they stood and held hands, watching their kids swing in the backyard. The dog ran around them and barked joyously. Then she was being ripped form Alaric and his face got smaller and smaller. She sobbed out and squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them, instead of Alaric's face framed in sunlight, she saw Raife's surrounded by darkness. "That's never happened before." He addressed her, staring at her intently, interested in her vision. He could cause them, but didn't know them himself. _And never would_, she promised herself.

"Go." She bit out, and then they left her hometown. She left Alaric.


	7. Crutch

**This part of the story is what I think of as Part 2. It has Alaric's second and final pairing. I originally only intended it to be two chapters, but as I'm writing it out I think it may be more. I didn't really like Jenna and Alaric as a couple, but after writing this chapter I'm a lot cooler with them together. It made me like them more. It's probably very OOC, but maybe also a little enjoyable? Feel free to share any criticisms you may have, I welcome all types of reviews! (Ack, especially the spelling and grammar ones. I have a lot of trouble with that).**

OOOOO  
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()()()()()

Alaric hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep since Meredith left. _What is it with me that women find so repugnant that they feel the need to leave? _In fact, he wasn't getting really good sleep right now either. Which was why he heard the knocking at his front door. He looked at his clock. Five hours and fifty-five minutes after midnight. Five minutes before his alarm. The knocking started again. "Great." He mumbled, throwing the covers off.

Jenna knew it was late. Or early, that is. But she was worried about Elena. She knocked again. Finally, Alaric's bed-mussed hair popped into view. "Thank God! I'm sorry, I know it's late, but I am so worried about Elena!" She pushed her way into his house, and continued ranting. "She didn't come home last night! I waited until four in the morning, figuring that gave her ample time to try and sneak in past curfew, but she never came! I've called Bonnie, Matt, and Caroline! I even asked Jeremy! But no one knows where she is! The police said they won't help until it's forty-eight hours because she's likely just sleeping it off somewhere, but I know Elena, Alaric, and she wouldn't do that!"

Alaric fought through his morning haze as he grew more concerned. He often thought of Elena as the daughter that was almost his. "You talked to Stefan?"

"Yes!" She threw up her hands, exasperated. "And he told me that Damon was gone, too, and not to worry, but how can I not worry when it's a boy like Damon? Since I know you and Damon have gotten really close, I decided…to…um…wow." She stopped her tirade and was staring at Alaric's stomach.

Alaric looked down and quickly turned around. Okay, so it hadn't probably been his stomach. He was naked. "Sorry." He bit out. He very rarely slept naked. Except, you know, when he did.

"You have a really nice butt." He whipped his head around and sure enough, she was ogling his ass. He never knew Jenna was so direct. She didn't even look up ashamedly when he caught her staring.

"I'm going to go change." He said grumpily, walking away from her.

"Thanks for the view!" She called after him. She couldn't help it. She'd been interested from day one, and since he didn't seem to be getting the hint, she decided she'd make it a little clearer. She figured all she had to do was to get him out of the slump of sadness he'd been in since his wife died. Not an easy task, but there was something about Alaric that made her want to help him. Something that made her want him himself. And something that had apparently made her bold.

Alaric never remembered Jenna so bold. She didn't seem like the type. Alaric also never remembered himself as such an exhibitionist. Why did he keep ending up naked around beautiful women? He just got on his jeans when his phone rang. He answered it from upstairs. "Hello?"

Stefan answered him. "Alaric, heads up. Jenna is on her way to your house and she's really freaked about Elena and Damon. I told her you might be some help. I'm not sure where they are, Elena and I had a fight, but I know Damon will keep her safe. Could you stall Jenna while I try to get them back here? We can't have her doing something dangerous or stupid."

"Sure." Alaric hung up. "Thanks for the warning." So he wasn't a social butterfly in the morning. Who cares?

Jenna watched as Alaric came back down the stairs. She wouldn't have minded if he kept the shirt off. He was nice to look at. "Let's look in all the local and nearby teen haunts." He told her as he put a jacket on.

She put her hand on his sleeve. "Thanks, I really appreciate it." Her lip trembled and she looked down.

"Hey, what is it, what's wrong?" He gripped her shoulders and tilted his head so he could see her face.

A few tears fell. "I'm a bad parent." She started sobbing into Alaric's chest. He patted her shoulder.

"No, no you're not." He led her to his couch and he sat her down.

"Yes I am!" She buried his face into his chest and continued to cry noisily.

"Look at me." She didn't stop crying. "Jenna, look at me." She finally lifted her flushed and tear-streaked face. "It will be fine. Elena is smart, and you know she's responsible. Three-to-one she just forgot to call because she's upset over some silly teenage drama. Which isn't exactly responsible, I know, but the girl has been through a lot lately."

"But-" Jenna started to argue, but Alaric stopped her.

"Did you go to sleep last night?" She shook her head. He made her lay down on the couch. "Sleep." Jenna opened her mouth, but Alaric cut her off. "Don't argue, Jenna. You'll do Elena more good when you're well-rested. Don't worry, either. I'll go out looking. Trust me, she's safe." Alaric didn't have hypnotic powers like a vampire, but Jenna's eyes started to drift close all the same. He didn't know she had written a term paper the night before, and had therefore gotten no sleep that day either. She was crashing.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked when she was almost asleep and her eyes were closed.

Alaric told her the truth. "Sometimes I think about what my life would be like if Elena was my daughter, and I marvel at how close that could have been. If I had only met Isobel a few years earlier. I don't know if I want that life or if I'm relieved it isn't me." She didn't respond and he didn't know if she could hear him. "And I like you, Jenna." He felt safe in saying it because he was pretty sure she was already asleep.

Jenna still heard him, even if her eyes were closed. His statement excited her, and perhaps he shouldn't have said it. Now she was really determined to have him. Jenna didn't care what it took. She would be persistent and dogged until he agreed to date her. Then she would woo him with her feminine wiles and he would fall in love. Then she would marry him and make a nice, suitable home for Elena and Jeremy. A nice, suitable family. And if Alaric had something else in mind, that was just too bad for him. Jenna's mind was already made up. _Yeah, right. _She scoffed at herself as she drifted off on Alaric's couch, _keep on dreaming._

OOOOOO

Jenna hadn't seen Alaric since they made the plans.

It was that night Elena hadn't come home. Alaric had calmed her down and told her to sleep and when she woke up, poof! Elena was there and okay. It was like magic. Alaric really seemed to know what he was doing with these teenagers. He told her Stefan, Elena, and Damon had all gotten in a fight. That didn't surprise Jenna. Nothing good could come out of that love triangle mess Elena had gotten into. Jenna chewed her lower lip. _Was getting involved with a guy who might not be over his dead ex akin to a love triangle? Am I criticizing Elena for the very mistake I'm making?_

She'd asked Alaric if he liked hiking. He said yes, she'd been thrilled. But he was now 15 minutes late and Jenna was worried he'd cancel because of the rain. She watched the raindrops race down her car window as she waited for him. They said they'd meet just outside of town limits where the woods really got thick. She fidgeted for a few more minutes. Finally, she saw his truck and she couldn't help a smile.

They both got out and met each other.

"Are you sure you want to do this today, Jenna? They said there's going to be a storm." Alaric wasn't really sure why he agreed to do this in the first place. Something Meredith had said made him change his mind about Jenna, but now he was reaffirming his original opinion. She was kind of goofy.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Jenna started off into the woods. She peeked back when he didn't follow.

"Where are all your supplies?" He asked.

"Supplies?" Jenna asked, crinkling her nose. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a hike just a glorified walk in the woods?"

"Have you ever even been hiking?" Alaric asked incredulously.

She laughed at his annoyed look. "No."

"We definitely should not go today. You need to start small—" He was talking, but she wasn't looking. She was walking away from him. "Where are you going?" He yelled after her.

"I don't really know!" She yelled, not looking back. "Wish I had an experienced person helping me or something! You stay there, though! If I get lost and starve, tell Elena and Jeremy I love them!" She had to yell loud to be heard. She was so far she was beginning to look small.

"Fuck!" Alaric swore as he grabbed his jacket and ran to catch up with her. She had been kidding, but he knew his conscience would never let him leave her in potential danger.

Two Hours Later

"We should have been back by now!" Alaric cursed as he stomped ahead of her. She followed behind him wearily. She didn't know he would get so pissed off. All in all, it was not the romantic romp in the woods she expected. She had hoped they would bond over the beauty of nature and talk about themselves and have a great time. Instead, they were both sopping wet and lost, while all around them it was starting to get dark. And Jenna was getting hungry. _I was just kidding about the starving thing!_

She was miserable and cold and she just wanted to be home. "Do you even know where you're going?" She whined as she climbed over a root behind him.

He whirled around. His eyes were wild and his hair a mess from running his fingers through it so much. "This is _completely _your fault! I told you we shouldn't go, and what do you do? You head in without so much as a water bottle!" He rolled his eyes "'You better come and save me, Alaric!'" He mocked in falsetto. "I should have left you in here to get lost! It would serve you right! And by the way, what is with—"

His next words were cut off with Jenna's lips. She mushed them against his lips and leaned into him. Before she even started the caressing movements he pulled back. "What are you doing?" He was dumbfounded and looked vaguely sick.

"Relieving the sexual tension?" She asked, her face crestfallen. "That was what that was, right?"

"No!" His voice had reached a high pitch, his mouth twisted at the corners while his eyebrows slashed down. His hand reached up to wipe at his mouth. "What is wrong with you?"

"God, don't be such a baby! It was one kiss. Don't get angry because you can't handle this." Jenna walked fast until she was walking in front of him. She didn't want him to see the absolute mortification on her face. Or the tears that started to fall.

"Jenna, wait!" He jogged a little to catch up with her and tried to get a look at her face, but she angled it away from him. "It's getting kind of dark. We better get back soon." He said, as if either one of them would be able to control whether or not they could get un-lost.

"We probably wouldn't have been so lost if you hadn't kept leading us in circles!" She snapped as she increased her pace further. It had gotten so dark she could barely see in front of her now.

"Hey!" He grabbed her arm, indignant. It threw off her balance and even if she had seen the tree stump in front of her she still would have tripped. She went flailing down as Alaric tried to keep a hold of her and steady her. He only ended up falling himself. She gave out a little scream as her ankle twisted.

He landed on top of her, a position she wouldn't have minded under any other circumstance. "I'm sorry!" He rolled off of her. "Are you okay?" He leaned in close and he could barely see her face. "Hey, don't cry!" He said, seeing the tears that had started long before she ever fell. He put his hand on her shoulder and patted it.

"My ankle!" She gasped out, old tears making way for the new.

"Can you stand?" He stood himself and held out his hands for her to grab.

"I think so." She used his steadiness and pulled herself up with a wince.

"It can't be that far. I'll get us out of here, don't worry." He let go of her and started walking.

Jenna tried to follow, but when she stepped on her right foot it gave out and she had to throw her arms around Alaric's shoulders to keep from falling again. "I can't walk!" She continued to cling to him.

"Here, your other foot is okay, right?" When she nodded, he pulled away from her arms, but steadied her with his hands at her waist. "Put your right arm around my shoulder." She did and he wrapped his left arm around her waist. "I'll be your crutch. Try not to use that foot."

They tried to continue their search for an end to the seemingly endless woods, but every time Jenna let out little noises of pain when using that foot was necessary, Alaric cringed. "Here," He said, using sense of touch more than anything because of the dark, "let me help you." His hands slid down from Jenna's waist to her ass. Not understanding at first and assuming he was just groping, her stomach dropped and she let out a squeak when he lifted her up into his arms. Her head bounced against his lower back as he had thrown her over the shoulder. She would have had a perfect view of his ass had it just been light out enough to see it.

She wriggled a bit. "Stay still!" Alaric commanded as she bounced with every step. He had to grab the calf of her injured leg so as not to allow her bouncing to jostle her ankle and make it worse.

"It's not exactly easy!" Jenna tried to defend herself, but her voice was a bit muffled by the Columbia jacket Alaric was wearing.

"I should just put you down and pray bears eat you or something!" But there was no real menace in his voice and the comment made her smile. But then it made her frown. "There aren't really bears in these woods, right?"

"You've lived in Mystic Falls how long and you don't know this?" There was a little bit of irritation in his voice now.

"I'm serious! You don't think there are bears, do you?" Jenna's voice held a hint of fear that made Alaric roll his eyes.

"No, but I bet there are werewolves!" His own inside joke almost made him laugh.  
"Hey!" She swatted his butt with one of her dangling arms.

"Hey!" His own palm made contact with her ass.

"What are you doing!" She screeched.

"Just repaying the favor, Jenna." He was, however, most definitely not, because while he, too, spanked her, his hand had remained there after the initial impact. She didn't say anything and tried to be mad at him. She also tried not to be impressed that he hadn't even been limping at her weight. Tried, and failed. On both accounts.

Had she mentioned her impression of his strength to him, Alaric would have figured, perhaps a bit sadly, that it was because he'd had a lot of practice hauling bodies. There had been a lot of beings in his way to finding the monster responsible for his wife's death. Most of them had been evil creatures, which didn't surprise Alaric, because Damon would have mostly evil friends, excluding his brother. Alaric had ended up having to deal with a lot of bodies. He had never actually killed any of them, but they did occasionally have to be moved when he wanted to ditch them while they were unconscious.

Fortunately though, she never commented, and the thought never arose in his mind. He was, however, trying very hard not to start rubbing circles over Jenna's ass. As it was, he couldn't bring himself to move his hand. She had a very nice behind. Very taut and shapely. Well-muscled. He bet she jogged.

He was too busy trying not to grope her while still groping her and wondering what her ass would look like in the light to notice the tent until he was almost tripping on top of it. He had to swerve last-minute so Jenna's foot wouldn't hit the side of the tent.

"What is it?" She asked. The view must have been different upside down.

"A tent." He told her, setting her down in front of the opening, and taking the opportunity to give her ass a light squeeze as he put her down. "Which is perfect, because I didn't think I could go much further." He said, rolling his shoulder.

"Thanks." She said, snarkily, even though she knew that wasn't fair because she was a grown woman, and not exactly petite.

"I meant because it was dark and I couldn't see much of anything." He laughed, not bothered by her comment.

He unzipped it and motioned her to scoot inside. He followed after her. They felt around and found two electric lamps. They put them on and saw each other's face for the first time since it got dark. He reached out and took a leaf from her hair. "We'll wait here until morning. I'm sure we'll find our way out easily enough with the light on our side. Not to mention the whole day."

Despite herself, Jenna felt more tears well up. "I'm really sorry. You were right; this was probably one of the stupidest ideas I've ever had. I'm such an idiot!" She drew up her uninjured leg to her chest and hugged her knee while she cried.

Alaric wasn't really sure what to do, but he settled on saying, "Yeah, you were wrong about a lot of things." He paused. "For instance, I can _definitely_ handle you."

It was the perfect thing to say as it got her laughing and ready for an argument. "Yeah right, you weren't feeling some attraction! You've been hard off and on all day!"

"That wasn't because of you—You were looking?" He asked, distracted.

Jenna blushed. "Then who was it because of?"

"No one." He sighed. "It's just been a really long time. Not since Isobel died."

"Oh." She was silent for a minute. "I think it's great that you waited until you found someone you cared about and didn't just go after it meaninglessly."

"What makes you think I even had the opportunity?" He asked.

"Come on, Alaric." She gave him an approving glance. "I find it hard to believe no one's offered."

He smiled, his ego pleased. "People did, but I only ever considered one."

"Did you like her?" She asked, not especially jealous, just curious.

"Yes." He answered simply.

"Then you still waited." Jenna smiled at him. "That's so refreshing compared to the people who have sex just to have it." He nodded his agreement and they both fell silent for a moment.

They didn't say anything for at least fifteen minutes. "It, um, happened again." Jenna finally said, nodding at his lap.

Alaric was only mildly surprised. He hadn't noticed it; it had been happening a lot since the encounter with Damon that had left a stake in his heart. Then it had happened even more since Meredith rolled into and right back out of town.

"Do you wanna maybe do something?" She didn't look at his face.

"Like what?" He asked, wanting her to make the first move.

She looked up and her hand went hesitantly traveled to his face. Her fingers traced his stubble and her breath caught. She nervously leaned in and pressed her lips into his for the second time that night.

_This kiss is far better than the last, _Alaric thought as he gripped the back of her neck and kissed her back. She pulled him down with her as she leaned back. He moved over her and kissed her deeply. She wanted to swallow him into herself; the sensation of his tongue forcefully teasing her mouth was so intense. His one hand stayed at her head, framing her face, while the other stroked her body. She tugged at his waist until he moved his pelvic bone over hers.

She tried to wrap her legs around him, but she whimpered in pain. He pulled back. "What is it?"

"Just my ankle. It's fine. I'll just move it over here somewhere." She tried to move one leg far away from the action while the other remained up close and personal with Alaric. The position still made it hurt though.

He pulled back. "Maybe we should wait. This isn't exactly, you know, first time material for a couple."  
His words thrilled her. "You mean you'd actually hazard another date with me?" She asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Are you kidding?" He joked. "This has been the most interesting date I've ever been on. I'll never forget it."

"Seriously?" She asked, laughing, and not really believing what he was saying.

"Seriously." Alaric looked into her eyes and kissed her softly on the lips before pulling away. "What do you think about bowling?"

With that question, a conversation easily erupted. They talked all about their likes and dislikes regarding everything from books and movies to favorite brand of TV dinners and favorite foreign accents. The conversation never stopped flowing.

As they talked, Alaric unfolded the only sleeping bag in the tent and spread it out so they could both lay on it. When the night wore on and they grew tired he put his head on her stomach and his arm over her waist bone. Her fingers played with his hair. They talked and talked until they both feel asleep, and if you asked either of them, they wouldn't be able to tell the last word either of them said.


	8. The Wedding

**A/N: After the initial letdown for Jenna in the season finale of TVD (and I mean six feet under letdown), I decided that I could definitely work with the idea of it (with my own twists, of course). So, although Jenna has died in the show, she hasn't died for me. There's more to come. Haha, literally. And fear not, there _was_ a reason for Meredith.**

Alaric had been twitching nervously all evening. This was their fifth date, and so far after each date, one or both of them had chickened out of sealing the deal. It just never seemed like the right time to Jenna. However, she knew lack of lovin' was _not _the reason he was so agitated. "All right, out with it." She prepared herself for some bad news.

"Jenna." He said it slowly and Jenna twisted the ring on her finger nervously. She knew what was coming. He'd break up with her now, and it would be terrible and awful with all the rejection and awkwardness. It was what always happened to Jenna. "I need to ask you a favor." _Here it comes, _she thought,_ the 'please don't cry', or something._

"Yes?" She asked, wincing.

He took a deep breath, and in a rush, he said, "Will you come to a wedding with me?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

She was stunned for a second and didn't speak.

He took her silence for reluctance and added, "Please, Jenna? It'll only be for the weekend because I can't afford to ask for days off right now. It's my brother and, while my whole family drives me absolutely crazy, my brother is definitely the worst. I could really use you there." His face was sweetly somber, his eyes gentle. They suddenly widened in shock. _Is she laughing at my family problems?_

No, Jenna didn't suddenly burst out laughing because she found his familial discomfort amusing. She was laughing at herself. "I'm…so, hmm…sorry." Se said, in between peals of laughter. "I thought you were breaking up with me!" She laughed for a few more seconds before she abruptly stopped, acutely aware of how saying that out loud made her feel really self-conscious.

He smiled at her and took her hand from across the table to bring to his lips. As his lips contacted with her hand, Jenna couldn't help but think that those lips were looking awfully full and soft and just perfect for kissing. _Maybe tonight will be the night, _they both thought as they simmered at each other from across the table.

()()()()()()

_It hadn't been the right night_, Jenna reflected grumpily the morning of their departure. _It shouldn't even be called morning! _She had been raving mentally ever since her stupid clock of doom had gone off thirty minutes ago._ Four in the morning is definitely not morning, it's still night! I am grumpy and tired, and not even getting any! Stupid Alaric! _Her doorbell rang and she hauled her duffle bag to the door. She opened the door for Alaric. He smiled when he saw her, and his cute grin had her lips smiling in return. He leaned in for a kiss before he took her bag from her to his car. As she watched him walk away, she thought, _Wonderful Alaric!_

OOOOOO

_Irritating Alaric!_ After a few hours on the open road, Jenna was getting pretty annoyed with him, and he with her. She was very tired, and he was extremely stressed, and they were taking it out on each other. Their little disagreements and turned into one big argument. Now they weren't talking and neither of them knew why. Jenna got out her laptop and worked on a paper a few weeks away to more effectively ignore him.

She ended up falling asleep, and two hours later he was shaking her awake. She smiled up at him as her eyes opened. She kissed him and both forgot any hint of an argument.

She took his hand as she got out of the car and held it while he filled up the car tank. "We're pretty much here. The town where I grew up." He looked around, his lips curling in distaste. He looked back down at her and liked that view much better. "I can take you to the motel if you'd like more sleep." He offered. He explained to her the night before that he just couldn't stay in his old family home. "Or, if you wanted to shop or something…" He mused.

"That's ok, Alaric. I'll go with you to your parents' to say hi. I don't mind."

"That's because you haven't met them yet." He was about to order her as far from his parents as possible when she spoke again.

"Hey, it's okay." She moved her face closer and nuzzled his nose with hers. "I'm here to support you remember?" She kissed him, standing on tip-toes. He leaned down, both because she couldn't maintain the stance and because he wanted to deepen their kiss. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and he had just pulled her gently against the car when the pump clicked. He straightened to remove the gas dispenser and she took a shaky breath.

They walked into the gas station together. He handed her a five. "Will you go get us some drinks while I wait in line?"

"Sure." She said cheerily.

000000

They were sipping their drinks as Alaric drove to find his parents house. Jenna figured the only way to possibly know where you were going was to have lived here, because as a newbie, all Jenna could even see were trees, long winding driveways that would disappear from view into trees, and oh yeah, trees.

His jaw was set, and his teeth grit together just the tiniest bit as he turned the abrupt corner that would take him to his family. _I would honestly rather face ten Isabels right now_, he thought.

Jenna was half convinced the driveway was just another road it was so long. That's why when they passed a mansion she just figured they would keep on going. To her surprise, the road ended and Alaric turned off the car. He put his head in his hand and tried to collect himself. "Umm, Alaric, this isn't your parent's house. This is a mansion." Jenna said, gently.

"They're mutually exclusive." He sighed.

She laughed. "I can't believe you didn't tell me! This is an amazing place!" She was already examining and classifying the house, her inner monument nerd taking over.

"It's not too late to wait in the car, you know." Alaric tried to protect her from what he was sure was coming.

"Are you kidding?" She laughed. "And miss the chance to see if the inside of that house is as beautiful as the outside? No way." She smiled. He still made no move to get out of the car. Her happiness leaked out of her. "It's me, isn't it? You're embarrassed about showing me to them. You know they'll think I'm not good enough." She looked away so he wouldn't see the tears she fought.

"No! That isn't it, Jenna. They-they aren't-" He took a deep breath. "They just aren't like me. Or, I'm not like them. It's caused a lot of…tension between us all. They think I'm a terrible child, and I think they're terrible parents. We just don't go together, and because of that, they've always been…" He shook his head. "I don't know how to say it. I think you'll see. I just didn't want to have to drag you into this."

"Hey, there will be no dragging. I can walk, you know. And I don't care about your family; I only care about you." She paused to consider her words. "Unless you wanted me to care about your family." She paused again. "Or, if-"

Alaric tried to silence her by kissing her. It worked. She leaned back in her seat. "Thank you, Jenna. It means a lot." He opened his car door and finally got out.

They walked up the (multitude) of steps to the door holding hands. Alaric rang the doorbell. In only seconds, a pretty Mexican woman opened the door. She looked Alaric up and down, but only frowned when she got to Jenna. "Ana, go, go, I have this." An older woman nudged Ana aside and stood in the doorway beaming at her son. She had long, professionally died blonde hair, with expertly applied makeup. She was thin and had on a nice red dress.

"Alaric!" She gave her son a quick hug. "My, don't you look-" Her words faltered as she looked him up and down. "Worn out. It must have been a long journey. You could have taken the jet, you know." Alaric started to argue, but she waved him off before he really started. "Come, come. Have brunch with your father and me." She didn't look at Jenna. "Hello, Isabella. So nice to see you again." She started to walk off into some other room of the mansion.

"Mother, this is Jenna. _Isabel_ has been gone a long time." Alaric said, following her, presumably to his father and brunch. _I wonder if they have separate rooms for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. _Jenna thought stupidly, Alaric's mother's comment stunning her so much she couldn't even register it.

"Ah, yes, Isabel." Said the Bitch Queen Mother from Hell (as Jenna dubbed her), throwing up her arms. "Dreadful little thing!" She exclaimed, still not looking back or acknowledging Jenna.

They walked to a room with floor to ceiling length windows that the sun streamed through. There was a table set for four. Jenna sat next to Alaric across from his parents. His father wasn't exactly in his prime, but obviously still thought he was. "Hello, son." He took his cigar from his mouth and looked at her over his glasses. He went straight back to his paper.

Jenna bit her lip and looked down. Alaric glared at him.

"Robert, this is Jennifer, Alaric's _ladyfriend._" His mother said delicately, buttering a square of bread.

"Her name is Jenna." Alaric bit out.

"_I _could have told you that, Susan! I'm not blind yet. Where'd you get this one, then, son?" He flipped a page of his paper. "Down in hickville? She does have all of her teeth, right?" He sneered in disgust. "You'll likely be rank with diseases by now. You can't forsake your health for some cheep lay, son."

"Are you calling me a whore?" Said whore asked, laughing in disbelief.

Alaric stood so quickly the table moved and a few pieces of silverware clanked on the marble floor. "You God-damned son of a bitch. You apologize to her right the fuck now! Both of you!"

"I will not! What other conclusion could I have come to, my dear?" Alaric's mother pleaded. "Look at her!" She waved a distressed hand in Jenna's direction.

Alaric had just opened his mouth to yell and swear some more, when Jenna's voice sounded instead. "They're right." She sighed, looking down.

The disbelieving look on his face made her heart soar. He really was sweet. "Are you crazy? Jenna-"

"Shh." She whispered, looking down once more before meeting the eyes of his parents. She had both of their rapt attentions. _Good._ "They can obviously tell anyway, Alaric. You can't blame them for wanting something better for their son." She looked away, distressed, only to look back at him, and then his parents. "But maybe if they saw how happy I make you they wouldn't be so worried about you." His mother and father were frowning in confusion. "If they only saw how I can make you cry out my name when I ride you! How you groan when your cock pummels my pussy from behind! How once, in the closet at that one restaurant you screwed me so sweetly for at least an hour that you said it was the best fuck of your life." She laughed. "You remember that day, don't you? We were having such a _hard _time not screaming and moaning in case we'd get caught!" Jenna fully planned on continuing, after all, she had plenty more things to use, all from her personal fantasy database when his mom recovered from her shock. She was screaming at Jenna and calling her Satan's whore and slut-ugly seductress, while Robert accidentally choked his cigar down.

Jenna feigned confusion. "Do you doubt I can make him happy? I can, you know! I suck his cock whenever he wants! He is so sweet-tasting, and I love it as much as he when he shoves it down my throat in passion!" His mother was flaming red, while his father was turning purple, his coughing fit taking a turn for the worst. Jenna got on her knees in front of where Alaric still stood. She touched his pants and felt that he was hard. She fought the evil grin that was threatening. She unzipped his blue jeans and stuck her face very close to him.

"Get out, get out!" Susan screamed.

Alaric, who had been blushing before, was now turning red like crazy. He gripped her wrist and pulled her up. He pulled her all the way out of the house. "What the hell was that!" He finally yelled when they got to the car.

She turned around to face him, finally realized the huge thing she'd just done. "Sorry. I have parental rebellion issues, and it seemed like a good idea at the time." She looked into eyes heated with fury, or so she thought. She let out a gasp of surprise when he gripped her shoulders and kissed her roughly.

He pulled back for a moment and the lust on his face turned her on even more than she had been earlier. "That was the hottest thing I've ever seen." He growled, and pushed her against the car and continued kissing her. His whole body was shoved against hers, pinning her against the car completely. He pulled back only once more, to ask her a question. "Would you really have done it?"

She considered it for a minute before she answered. "Yes." She whispered against his lips.

His face was swooping back down to hers when they heard someone clear their throat. Alaric didn't move his body one inch from Jenna's as he turned to face the person. It was the pretty Mexican from before. "Meester and Meesus want you gone now. Missus say she weel call the policia eef you don't go."

She glared at Jenna as she talked. Jenna moaned and arched up into Alaric as she gave Ana a grin. "Jealous, much, chica?" If looks could kill, Jenna would have died a couple hundred times that last 15 minutes.

"Come on, let's go." Alaric said as he pulled away and got into the car. Jenna stalked to the car happily, swaying her butt for Ana's benefit.

The car ride to the motel was silent, but not awkward. Neither of them was in the mood for talking.

oooooo

When they got to the motel, still not another word was spoken. Alaric closed the door behind them, and pushed her back up against it. He tugged her shirt up to her neck so he could touch and feel the soft skin of her chest and stomach. Jenna pulled the shirt the rest of the way off. His mouth moved to her neck and sucked a spot just behind her ear. Her breaths came in faster. His teeth scraped over the flesh there and she shivered. His mouth moved to hers and their lips met with equal force. They pushed at each other, neither giving ground, nor gaining it.

Alaric's body pulled away from hers' as he struggled to take his pants off without breaking their kiss. While tugging his jeans off he impatiently snapped her bra strap at her shoulder. She reached her arms behind her back to unclasp it. He pushed it out of her arms as he stepped out of his pants and back against her body. His hands grasped her breasts as hers slid under his shirt. He tweaked her nipples, and grinned when she moaned out and pressed closer to him. She pulled his shirt up as he unzipped her jeans and slid them down. She kicked her ankles free and walked him to the bed using the shirt that was still around his neck and not completely off.

Alaric picked Jenna up, and was about to lay her down with him on top of her when he stopped. His head cocked to the side and just as Jenna was about to ask what it was, they both heard it clearly. _"oooh, ohhh, yes, yes, mmmmm, ahhhhh, ahhhhhh ahhhh, YES!"_ There was a couple in a room next to theirs obviously enjoying themselves.

Alaric grinned at the beauty in his arms. "Let's see if we can't beat them." He tossed her on the bed and climbed on top of her. His hand trailed down her stomach to her plain black underwear. The only clothing left between them. He kissed her as his fingers pushed aside the material and surged into her without taking the cloth off. She moaned into his mouth. He continued to thrust one finger into her, playing over her clit with his thumb. His other hand reached for the condom as his head dropped down to hers to give her a kiss.

Sharp, piercing noise cut across the room and assailed their ears. Jenna started laughing and Alaric's hand slipped from her. "I'm sorry, I don't think I can do it listening to that." She said, still laughing.

He was laughing, too. "Me neither." He lay back next to her and pulled her to his side. "Who brings a baby to a motel?"

"I'm just thankful the sound isn't coming from the same room." They laughed some more at that. She figured they would just cuddle until the baby stopped crying, but it never did. They somehow miraculously fell asleep holding each other and listening to its loud shrieking.

000000

They woke up and it was almost five. "Oh, our sleeping schedules are so screwed."

Alaric grunted in agreement.

The reception was at seven, which gave Jenna the perfect amount of time to get ready. Unfortunately for Alaric, it was a little too much time. He found himself with nothing to do as she dressed, did her makeup, her hair, all the things girls felt they needed to do for an event like this. So he left her, already in his suit, and said he'd come back.

She didn't know where he went, but it wasn't hard to guess he'd been at a bar, for when he came back she could detect the faint hint of alcohol on him. Jenna knew he wasn't looking forward to the family reunion.

When he pulled up to his parents' house-the place the reception was to be held-Alaric found he couldn't get out of the car. He filled with dread and his hands wouldn't move from the wheel. He stared, straight forward, with a forlorn expression.

It all seemed _too_ dramatic for Jenna, who herself had plenty of awkward family issues (sleeping with her sister's brother-in-law, for instance), but she didn't laugh. Instead, she pulled his arm, finally pulling him out of his trance. He looked at her with sad eyes. "For the love of the lord, you're not going to eat your last meal! These people are just people, and you've faced _vampires_, vicious, evil vampires! Show them how far you've come. It'll be fine."

Surprisingly, it was. They sat next to friends of the family that had never even met Alaric. The only thing that suffered was the conversation, but it wasn't nearly as stressful as Alaric had feared. Jenna certainly didn't know why he was so worried in the first place.

Despite the lack of family run-ins, Alaric had a few glasses of champagne. Jenna had to drive them back to the motel. He wasn't passed-out drunk, but when he did get back, he collapsed on the bed first thing.

That definitely didn't put Jenna in the mood for anything, and Alaric didn't seem to be in any kind of condition to make love. After Jenna took her shower and got into her pajamas, she crawled in bed next to his softly snoring form. She was sure they'd make it through the wedding just as smoothly.

00000000

"Dammit, my suit is completely wrinkled!" Alaric exclaimed as he glanced at himself in the mirror.

"Maybe you shouldn't have worn it to bed." Jenna smirked.

He stopped futilely trying to smooth his suit and looked at her. "I'm sorry about last night, Jenna. I don't know why I was so stressed about them yesterday. I shouldn't have had so much champagne." He put his hand to his head. At least it was only a minor headache.

"Hey, I probably would've had more than you, if I wasn't trying to avoid asking your parents to call a cab." She laughed.

He smiled at her in return. "Afraid of what they'd say?"

"Actually, of what _I _might have said."

His smile turned to a grin at the memory. "I wonder if you could even top that." Her lips pulled up mischievously. "Only one way to find out."

00000000000

When they arrived at his parents' house for the third and final time that weekend, they were greeted by a stunning blonde woman. She had perfectly high-lighted blonde hair and a pale purple dress that accentuated her figure. "Alaric!" She squealed and placed both hands on his shoulders before leaning in and kissing him lightly on both sides of his face.

"Hey, Mel. This is Jenna, my girlfriend. Jenna, this is my sister Melanie."

Melanie grimaced. "Well, I'm sure what mother and father said must have been exaggerated." She couldn't hide the disgust on her face when she glanced at Jenna. Melanie tried to concentrate on Alaric. "Don't you look just—" She stopped and tried to smooth a wrinkle in his shoulder. "It must be those kids, Alaric. How horribly you must suffer. I know you don't have any law experience, but there's a position open at Alec's office, and-" She gave a little giggle before she continued, "I'm sure I could convince my own husband to give you the job! Alec would be just delighted to help out the family." She patted his cheek.

As Alaric tried to politely decline her offer, Jenna looked around the party. It was a night wedding, and people were chatting with drinks in the backyard. There were beautiful white garden chairs in place for when the ceremony started. There was a wine fountain, and a large number of caterers running around with trays of hors d'oeuvres. Jenna plucked a round little cake thing from a tray being carted past her. She plopped it in her mouth and moaned quietly. She was pretty sure her mouth just had an orgasm. It was some sort of seafood, but nothing like Jenna had ever tasted before. She made a mental note to pig out as much as possible.

She tuned back in to Alaric's conversation with his sister. Jenna was still finding it hard to believe he even had a sister. "So, I'll just take you to Alec. He can lead you to his room, and you can get out of that god-awful suit."

He nodded weakly. "Jenna, I'll be right back." He said as his sister led him away.

"No problem, take your time!" She called after him, and started staking out her next bite of food.

0000000

As Alaric let himself be guided away by Mel, he found himself deaf to her blathering. At least, until one thing she said caught his attention. "I, myself, was a little wild when I was younger. You're older than I was when I went through it, but, well, you know what they say about boys maturing later than girls." She laughed as if she'd said something incredibly funny. "It was my first year of college, and I was partying with the lowest of the lows. Can you believe I actually had a-" she glanced around conspiratorially, "a _lesbian_ moment!" She whispered.

"Ugh!" Alaric clapped his hands to his ears. "I so do not want to hear this!"

She laughed again and tugged his hand down. "My point is, this is all just a phase. One no one should worry about, as you'll get over it soon. You'll get over her soon, too."

He pulled away from her angrily. "You don't get it, I-"

"Ssh, ssh. I _do _understand. Now don't worry any more! Ahh, here's my husband." She walked up to a handsome man and kissed him on the cheek. "Alec, honey, could you take Alaric up to our guest room and lend him one of your suits. It won't be tailored perfectly, but, um, it would be preferable, of course." She glanced once more at Alaric's wrinkled suit, before giving him a little wave and walking away.

Alec seemed extremely bored and boring. He said nothing as he led Alaric up the vast amount of stairs.

Alec led him to one of the nicest guest rooms and pulled out an expensive grey suit from the closet. "Thanks. I'll just leave my suit on the chair when I change."

Speaking the first words Alaric had heard from him, he joked, "Good, I'll just have it burned for you." Then he laughed at his own joke.

He stopped when he saw Alaric wasn't laughing. "I'll pick it up at the end of the night." He nodded at Alaric's words and walked away.

After Alaric had changed, he walked down the stairs intent on finding Jenna before she suffered further. He was a little uncomfortable, as he was slightly taller and bigger than Alec, but it wasn't unbearable.

He was just about to leave the house and go back into the yard when Ana appeared out of nowhere. "Meester and Meessus would like to see you een the library." With one last leer at him, she walked away and expected him to follow. Like he needed an escort in the home he'd lived in for eighteen years of his life.

They were sitting with somber expressions, facing an empty chair. He sat down in it, and got ready for whatever bullshit they were planning on spewing.

"Son," his father began seriously. "We are quite concerned for you." His mother nodded. Alaric stayed quiet. "That girl is nothing. While most of your choices so far-"

He was referring to his decision to become a teacher. "-have proved unsavory, this girl is simply unacceptable." He looked at Alaric over his glasses. "You must end it with her."

Alaric was seething. They would _not_ tell him what to do. "And if I don't?"

"Honey, your father and I have friends in high places. _All _kinds of friends. With one call from us, that, that…_girl_ will find herself unemployed and unemployable." His mother rose and lifted her hand, but Alaric pulled away before she could touch him.

"Don't you dare. That _girl_ is the mother of my unborn children." Times like this called for fast thinking.

His mother gasped. "You don't mean-?"

"Not yet, she isn't. But I love her, and we will be together, even if we have to live in a trailer off of food stamps. You can't scare her or me. You will not control my life, so back the fuck off." Serious threats called for serious bluffs. Even so, he would have to warn Jenna. He couldn't keep something that would affect her life monumentally from her. It was her call to make.

His mother and father stared after him open-mouthed as he left.

00000000

Jenna had just found another delicious delicacy and was chomping on it happily when she heard the barely-concealed whispers. "_Oh, my goodness…She's wearing the same dress twice? That is soo tacky…and such a dress…yes, hideous to begin with…and do you see how she's eating everything? ...Can't she afford to feed herself? ...Obviously not, if she can't even dress herself properly._" Jenna turned just in time to see a group of women from the reception erupt in a fit of giggles. The food turned sour in her mouth, and she stalked into the house, intent on hiding in the bathroom for a few minutes until she could face anyone again.

The bathroom on the first floor was occupied by what she assumed was probably some rich bulimic woman, judging from the gagging sound that was coming from inside. She was wandering the upstairs looking for a bathroom (_Good lord, you'd think there'd be more than one bathroom in a mansion, _she thought_)_ when she was stopped by a cute platinum blonde with a pixie cut, wearing only a white slip for a dress. "Hi, do I know you?" She smiled sweetly at Jenna.

"Probably not. I'm here with Alaric, and I don't know anyone here." Jenna was a little weary, as most people at this wedding were proving to be grade-A assholes.

Her weariness was right on target. The sweet girl's smile turned into a scowl. "So you're the backwoods whore dating my boy."

"Excuse me?" Jenna said, taken aback.

"My ex-boyfriend. You think he really cares about you? He was a wreck when we broke up; he's never gotten over how good we were together."

"Oh, that's why he got married, right, that all makes so much more sense." Jenna rolled her eyes and tried to step passed the girl.

"Are you kidding? Why do think he got married to the first bitch he met in college?" She grinned maliciously. "Trust me, sweetie, he's only using for you for sex because you're cheaper than a prostitute."

Jenna almost slapped her. "Fuck off, you nasty uptight idiot." She stepped past her, but the girl grabbed her arm and whirled her back around.

"You bitch!" She reached up and yanked Jenna's hair.

Jenna slammed her into a wall. She held up her fist and got up in the smaller women's face. "Look, _sweetie,_ I don't pull hair, and I don't bite, and I sure as hell don't scratch. I _fight_ when I fight. You do _not_ want to get into it with me, because the first move I make will be a perfect punch right into that cute little nose of yours. And you'd hate to have all that work redone, wouldn't you?" Jenna pinched her cheek like an affectionate grandfather and walked away. She heard a door to one of the many rooms Jenna had already passed slam closed.

Jenna continued searching for a bathroom, though this time for a genuine need to use it, when a door she was walking past opened and a man dragged her into the darkness. He started kissing her frantically. He pushed her against the wall and moved his whole body against hers.

After Jenna's initial shock, she kissed Alaric back a little. His hands moved to her shoulders to slide her straps down when her hands sunk into his hair. She screamed and pushed him off. That was _not _Alaric's hair. "What are you doing?" She screeched as she felt along the wall for a light switch.

Finally, she found it and flicked the lights on. She gasped and thought for just a second she was mistaken about being mistaken. But, although the person's build, height and hair color were similar to Alaric, she could tell there were distinct differences between them. "Oh, no." She groaned as she sat on the bed. "Please tell me you are not Alaric's brother." He nodded. "The one about to be married?" He nodded again. "What is wrong with you? Why would you do that?"

"It's okay." He put his hand on her thigh. "I don't even love her. I'm just marrying her because she's pregnant."

Jenna pushed him away from her. "You're a pig!"

She tried to leave the room, but he got up and blocked her way right at the door. His grip on her shoulders was so tight it was painful. He moved his hands down to her wrists. "Come on. I'm so nervous. Just help me relax a little." He tried to kiss her, but she moved her neck to the side, so his kisses landed away from her lips. He moved his kisses down to chest. She tried to get away, but he wouldn't let go. "It's a good thing you're doing. After tonight, I can't be with anyone else. Let me have tonight. It's noble." His left hand released her shoulder and he moved his hand to squeeze her breast through the dress.

The hand he had let go of searched the table next to door for something she could use to get away from him. She felt a phone and tried to grab it, but he yanked her away before she could get a grip on it. She ended up grabbing a glass that was on the very edge of the table. She splashed it across his face and it dripped down onto his white shirt.  
He looked surprised. "You little bitch!" He lunged for her, but she was already out of the door and running away from him.

She found Alaric outside and let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't going to leave his side for the rest of the night.

Just as the wedding was about to start, they each noticed something the other didn't. Alaric saw his flustered brother with a stain on his suit being led back into the house by Alec. Jenna noticed the way the bride glared at her, and realized with shock that it was the cute bitchy girl from the hall.

As soon as it could be considered politely early to leave, Jenna and Alaric did. He told her to wait by the stairs for him as he changed back into his suit. She was shifting her weight uncomfortably as she waited for him.

Her night only got worse as she saw the bride of the night coming determinedly towards her. "Don't think I don't know what you did!" She came up to Jenna with fury in her eyes.

"What did I do?" Jenna asked, feeling sick.

"You dumb bitch! You tried to seduce my husband, and when he refused you, you poured your drink all over his shirt! You're trying to ruin my wedding!" She ranted and raged as Jenna shook her head. "You want my sloppy seconds, fine! But the moment you go after my husband, you will see how much you will regret it!" The little bride was puffed up and her fists were balled.

Jenna wasn't in the mood to fight. "I can't even hate you." Jenna said sadly. "I feel too bad for you to hate you. You're going to have to live with that prick your whole life, all because…" Jenna's gaze dropped to the woman's stomach.

Her face paled, and she opened her mouth, speechless, before closing it. "No one was supposed to know." With that, she walked away.

Alaric came down the stairs looking more comfortable than he had all night.

In the car, she turned to him. "I, um, I have to tell you something."

He sighed. "I have to tell you something, too."


	9. Smelts

**A/N: Fear not, _of course_ I have plans that make use of my book-inspired character, Meredith. And as always, feel free to review. 3:D (that's my wiggly eyebrow face)**

Neither Jenna nor Alaric had said a word to each other after they confessed what had happened at the wedding.

Jenna sighed. "Could you change it, please?" Jenna asked, rubbing her forehead as she stared at her laptop screen. It had been on for an hour, but she hadn't written one thing.

Alaric reached over to change the radio station. The country music was the only thing to break the silence.

They were busy thinking about what the other had told them, and reeling over the possible consequences.

Alaric couldn't believe his parents had threatened him like this. They had never been supportive of him, but they had never actively tried to interfere in his life. He was surprised by their actions, surprised and, surprisingly, hurt. He was also angry at them, but after hearing Jenna tell him about his smarmy brother he knew nothing could match his fury with his brother. He seriously debated turning the car around and going back to murder his brother. Even an hour away, he still debated turning around.

Jenna chewed the inside of her lip lightly. Her sense of responsibility and logic were warring with what her sister lovingly referred to as her Juliet Complex of Defiance. God, she missed her sister. Jenna just had to take care of her children as best she could. But even if that meant ditching the greatest guy she'd ever been with to the curb for no fault if his own? Besides, Elena and Jeremy were almost adults, weren't they? Jenna could almost be her own person again, couldn't she? No, Jenna would always have to be there for Jeremy and Elena. That's what a parent was, unconditional love and support. _Shit_, she thought sadly.

"Do you listen to anything but country?" Jenna snapped.

Alaric reached over to turn the radio off, and Jenna cursed as her laptop died.

Neither of them thought their relationship would last beyond today. The obstacles in their way seemed nearly impossible. Jenna, while she knew Alaric and his family already had a rocky relationship, didn't want to add to it by creating more of a landslide than she already did. She also didn't want to lose her job or her career. Alaric knew he couldn't risk Jenna's future for a relationship that might not last. It was selfish, and could affect Elena and Jeremy. No, they sat in the car in silence, sure that they were doomed to fail.

She had her head against the window when she felt the car start to shake. It started out softly, but got so bad Alaric couldn't stay in the lines. He cursed as he tried to pull over. The engine fired loudly and the car stopped. Alaric had just managed to steer it to the side of the country road. It seemed almost deserted, but he didn't want to chance leaving his car in the middle of the road, even if it was an empty one, surrounded by trees.

Alaric was looking at car in confusion. "I know it didn't overheat." He got out of the car and started toward the engine.

Jenna stayed in the car when it stopped, watching as Alaric circled the car and his as his head eventually disappeared beneath the hood.

She heard him swearing and smirked. She didn't feel quite tender for him at the moment.

"Jenna?" She heard him call. His voice was muffled and he sounded distressed.

She opened her door. "What?" She yelled out to him, trying not to let her laughter slip out.

"Could you turn the engine on?"

Jenna scooted over the humps between the seats and tried to turn the key all the way, but the engine wouldn't catch. She tried a couple more times. She opened the door. "Doesn't work!" She called out cheerfully.

"Obviously!" He snapped, which made Jenna raise her eyebrows. She'd gone right by angry and had just stopped at incredibly amused. _Of course _his car would die at the worst possible moment.

"Don't you know anything about cars?" She yelled, not bothering to not laugh.

He slammed the hood down and glared at her through the windshield.

"Oh, that's right," Jenna started, "I forgot. Those who can, do, and those who can't, teach."

His glare turned positively icy as he walked towards her where she sat half out of the truck through the doorway. His voice was colder than she'd ever heard it. "Do you think _you _know what's wrong with the engine?" Jenna shook her head as he continued to glare. He stood close to her in the doorway where she sat. His cold behavior and proximity gave her chills, but not because of fear. He turned away. "I don't know what it could be. All the hoses are connected. Its got plenty of antifreeze, oil, gas. Thus my limited mechanics knowledge is rendered useless."

He sort of stood there sulking. Jenna rolled her eyes and hopped from the truck. "Come on, then." She grabbed his hand to tug him along, walking in the direction the car had been going before it stopped. "We were going to a rest stop anyway, and I really have to pee."

Luckily, it wasn't a long walk before they found a place to stop. Unfortunately, it was a biker bar. Shiny and intimidating bikes lined up next to the sides of the bar, with not one car to be seen. It was called Smelts. _Sounds…pleasant…_She thought as she started towards it.

"Jenna, what are you doing?" Alaric called, a few feet behind her.

"I really have to pee!" She exclaimed as she looked back. He was flipping his phone closed. "What did the tow truck guys say?"

"That they can't make it out here until morning." He ran the few feet to catch up with her. "And you can't go in there, it's dangerous."

"I _really_ have to pee." Her pace increased to breakneck speeds.

"Go in the woods!" He yelled after her, but she had already disappeared in the doors. "Shit." He whispered when he himself got to the door. He really didn't want to go in there, but he couldn't let her get gang-raped or something. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

The music was loud, but the patrons were louder. They were all in leather jackets and jeans. More often than not, they had excess facial hair. Most had huge, burly builds. Alaric was scared—he was man enough to admit it-but Jenna seemed fearless. _What an idiot._ He thought, fueled by fear and anger.

And they all stared at him the moment he entered. He couldn't see Jenna anywhere. She must've already found the bathroom. He hoped. He sat down at the bar.

_Ah, sweet relief._ Jenna thought coming out of the bathroom. She spotted Alaric at the bar, his back hunched a little uncomfortably. _He's probably nervous._ Jenna smiled at him as she sat next to him.

Alaric jerked when he saw Jenna. He started to get up to leave, but she sat down.

"You feel like dancin' baby?" The man on the other side of Jenna asked. Alaric braced himself. This would lead to no good.

He watched as she turned to face the man. "Sorry, I'm here with him." She thrust her thumb behind her to point. She looked up at the biker with a smile. "You can buy a girl a friendly drink, though." Jenna flirted with Bobby-so his jacket proclaimed-and enjoyed herself. Bobby reminded her of her old boyfriend, Mitch. The day she'd turned 18, she'd brought Mitch home to meet her parents. They freaked. She smiled fondly at the memory.

Much to Alaric's surprise, the man laughed and actually did order her a drink. "Jenna," He nudged her arm. "I think we should go."

She looked at him, face glowing, with honest confusion. "Why? Tow truck guy said he couldn't make it until morning anyway. We have time for a drink." Jenna started to take off her coat.

"Oh, you two lovebirds are having car troubles? We have a mechanic-" Suddenly, Bobby stopped talking and grabbed Jenna's arm. It startled her into spilling a little of her drink. Alaric was on his feet ready to fight Bobby in an instant.

"Get your hands off her." He growled.

Bobby delicately examined the bruises that were already forming on Jenna's wrists. "He do this to ya, darlin'?" Jenna was so shocked she couldn't speak at first. Bobby pulled her behind him and faced Alaric. "It's okay, darlin', I'll take care of this shithead. He won't ever touch you again."

A crowd began to form a circle around them. Alaric put down his fists in surprise. "What?" The moment his hands were at his sides, Bobby's fist shot out and connected with Alaric's face. He flew backwards into the crowd. They pushed him back towards Bobby.

Jenna tried to get in between them. She flung her arms out. Her heart was pounding and she was petrified for Alaric. Bobby was _huge_, and his punch looked like it already took a lot out of Alaric. "Stop! Stop, it was his brother that did this!"

Bobby stopped looking past her, and paid her his full attention. "It's like that?" He looked back at Alaric with renewed determination. "I don't know where ya found this one, princess, but I'll get rid of him. For good." He lunged past her for Alaric.

Alaric must have looked worse than he felt, because he was more alert than anyone watching was expecting. He ducked under Bobby's outstretched arms and came back up behind him to slam both of his fists into Bobby's back. Bobby fell to the floor.

"Stop this!" Jenna screeched uselessly.

He got back up quickly and was throwing himself at Alaric. Alaric barely ducked in time, and as it was, he tripped and fell into Jenna's arms. Which of course had them both down. She was no Amazon, after all.

She rolled onto Alaric and tried to block his body from Bobby, who was looming over them. "Why would you protect him?" He asked her. "He let his brother hurt you and god knows what else—"

"No, no, it isn't like that!" Jenna laughed a little bit. "His brother got drunk and did this, and Alaric was so mad! Really, you should have seen how angry he got. He practically put his brother in a hospital!" He was still looking at her doubtfully. "Look, I really do appreciate it, but as you can see, he isn't afraid to fight for me."

The doubtful look disappeared and Bobby let out a booming laugh. "Got that right, darlin'." He stopped to crack his back with a groan. "This boy's a keeper. You treat him good."

He extended his hand and helped Jenna to her feet. They both helped Alaric up. He swayed violently. They helped him sit on a stool at the bar. He hunched over the bar top with his head in his hand.

"Beer's on me!" Bobby proclaimed loudly, clapping Alaric on the back. Alaric grunted. Jenna thought it looked like Bobby may have done it a little harder than necessary. "Let's see if we can't get God-Awful Gus to take a look at your car!"

Jenna expected Gus to be different than he was. She expected someone a little more fearsome, not the small, platinum blonde teenager that appeared. Jenna raised her eyebrows.

He smirked when he looked at her. "Baby, you have no idea the skills I got." He gave her a lascivious look.

"Hey." Bobby gave him a shove. "Knock it off, boy. Follow these people to their car and help 'em out if you can."

"Ya'll can take your beer on the walk there." Gus said, much more respectfully, as he faced them again. "I should probably start right away, in case this takes a while." He walked a ways to the door and stopped to wait for them.

They got up to follow him until it was their turn to lead.

When they got to the car, it took Gus all of five seconds under the hood to diagnose the problem. "Your water pump's shot. It controls the alternator, and it would make the car pretty hard to steer, right?" Alaric nodded, and Gus, happy to have his suspicion confirmed, continued. "It should only be about thirty bucks or so for me to get the right parts and fix it up. You two might as well go back to the bar and enjoy yourselves. It should only be a couple hours until you're up and running. I've got to make a run to my shop when I get back to my motorcycle." With that, they were walking back to the bar together.

Once in the bar, they each had another beer on Bobby. The bikers had left them alone, conversing and partying amongst themselves, stopping only occasionally to ask them a question or tell them a joke.

Jenna was finding the experience pleasant, but she noticed Alaric still held his head in his hand. She elbowed him gently. "Hey, you wanna get some fresh air with me?"

He nodded weakly and got up to follow her out of the bar.

Once outside, she turned to face him with worry written all over her face. "Alaric, are you all right?"

He leaned against the brick siding of the bar. "This has all just been an incredibly…lame…day." He shook his head, then stopped like it pained him. "First, I had to see my estranged family after years of comfortable avoidance, then my brother attacks my new girlfriend who probably won't even stay my girlfriend long, because my crazy control freak parents have threatened her, and now not only has some wannabe pipsqueak completely shone me up with his car skills, but this." His fingers brushed his upper cheekbone lightly, where it was already pink and swelling. Clearly a black eye would be there in the morning. He sighed.

Jenna moved closer until her body was flush against him. "Well, on the plus side, that black eye is pretty sexy." Her lips brushed across his, and then lightly teased their way to his neck. "And, the way you protected me in there…" Her lips moved to his ear. "That was pretty sexy, too. It made me very…grateful." She whispered into his ear.

He took hold of her shoulders, then moved his hands lower on her arm when he remembered the bruises were there too… He looked at her questioningly for just a moment. Before she could say it was okay, he was kissing her. Of course, that only made her want him more.

It must have been hard for Alaric to press her against him when he himself was leaning against the wall, because as he was pulling her closer, he took a step foreword and spun until he had her pinned against the wall.

"Mmm." She smiled into his mouth, and tried to get closer.

His hands slid from her waist, lovingly traced the sides of her breasts, glanced past her neck, giving her shivers, and settled so that the heels of his hands supported the bottom of her chin and his fingers fanned out to cradle the nape of her neck, just where her hairline started.

"You're driving me crazy." She whispered as he kissed her frantically, his hands framing her face. Her words only excited him further. He pressed closer-hardly possible-and slid a knee between hers, the act made difficult by her dress. He had changed, but she hadn't. He growled in frustration and moved one hand down to slide the satiny fabric up her knees-trailing up her thighs, almost at her waist-

The sudden noise of a door slamming caught their attention. They broke apart like guilty teenagers and eyed the one who interrupted them. He was just a drunken biker, stumbling down from the bar steps. He didn't even notice them as he walked away.

Jenna turned back to Alaric and giggled. His eyes glittered with desire. He held out a hand. "Come on." She took it, a little dizzy from the kissing, a little tipsy from the beer. He led her into the woods.

They didn't go too far in before he stopped suddenly. He steadied her as she stumbled. He gently pushed her against a tree. She opened her mouth, not even sure what she herself would say, when his own mouth slanted across hers. His tongue traced along the inside of her lips until she opened her mouth and sucked his tongue inside. The feel of his tongue—warm, wet, firm and insistent—teased her and made her ache for more.

Her hands slid under his shirt-one to brush the smooth and fierce muscles of his back, while the other caressed the erotic ridges of his abdomen. She moaned a little and slid one hand into the tight waistband of his jeans to grope his ass, as the other desperately tried to undo the button at his front.

He broke the kiss to take a deep breath. It gave Jenna the room to undo his button and then his zipper. He pushed her hands away to tug the jeans off. He was going commando, but before she could get her visual fill of him, he slid a condom from the pocket of his jeans on and was back close again. He undid the zipper at the back of the dress, and slipped the satin straps from her shoulders. The satin silkily slid down her skin.

He looked at her bare breasts in delight. The dress had a built-in bra. Alaric's mouth moved to her nipples eagerly. His tongue was just dry enough to still feel wet and warm, but also feel slightly rough. The sensation drove Jenna to her tiptoes as she tried to bring herself even closer to Alaric's mouth. It felt like his tongue was tracing every dip and rise of her areola over and over again before he sucked only the very tip of her nipple lightly with his tongue.

Sometime during this exquisite torture, her thong went missing, and one finger slipped inside her warm center. His fingers found her clit as he sucked her nipple once more. She rode his hand below—thrusting herself against his thumb even as she arched her back to bring her breasts closer to his mouth.

He added a second finger and the stretch was so nearly overwhelming she almost screamed. As it was, she let out a loud, harsh whimper. He withdrew his mouth and whispered in the valley of her tits, "Shh. Someone will hear. Hear you moan and whimper while I touch you." He whispered as she continued to work herself on his hand and he continued to thrust with her. "They'll see you so…so…desperate, and hot and wet. Do you want that?" He returned to her breasts and she almost cried out once more. His relentless mouth gave her no mercy, and they were beyond tender and sensitive by now.

She increased her tempo, thrusting helplessly, her head thrown back against the trees with need. Every part of her was damp with sweat and her breath was coming out in harsh pants. She was close, so close, when he removed his hand, and she let out a shocked hiss of disappointment. She opened her mouth—to ask, to complain, to beg—when he grabbed the backs of her thighs in his hands and had hefted her up against the tree. He held her there easily as he edged into her, unstoppable.

She couldn't help her scream then, as his first thrust had forced her to climax. He waited no time as he continued to fuck her. She rode out her intensely pleasurable spasms in rhythm with his thrusts. She was still rocked from the aftershocks of her own orgasm as he slammed into her, intent on his own release. The feelings were so intense she wanted to wriggle away, to finally stop the pleasure, the torture, but she was trapped between his hips and the tree trunk at her ass. She couldn't hold back her whimpers and cries as he pounded to find his relief in her.

Finally, in a broken voice, she spoke. Whispered. Pleaded, really. "Alaric, they'll hear me! They'll come when they hear and they'll see you fucking me. So hard, so good. Please, Alaric, please!"

At her words he shuddered. His hips slowed, and his forehead dropped to hers. He breathed deeply as he slowly ground into her, the last ripples of his orgasm ending.

He withdrew and set her on her feet. He caught her when she swayed, her legs too weak yet to stand. His arms circled her waist as he kissed her, sweeter than before, but just as passionately.

She thought they would return to the bar after the initial glowing moment and residual tingly feelings were over, but instead he continued to just kiss her. He didn't let go, not even after she could stand on her own. His lips moved to her neck and she thought he might have given her a hickey. She didn't mind, and gave him one of her own.

They ended up laying down, locked in an embrace, on the forest floor. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, still kissing, exploring, tasting, discovering, and pleasuring each other.

Just as Jenna was thinking that she couldn't possibly give up Alaric now, Alaric was thinking that he couldn't let her leave him, not for some stupid reason like his parents or brother, not for anything.


	10. This Is For Real

**A/N: This is a little bit of a shortie, but also a sweetie! The chap is named for the song This is for Real by Motion City Soundtrack because I heard it while writing it, and it seemed like fate. I was also tempted to name it I Want to Check You for Ticks by Brad Paisly, but I resisted. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Review, my invisible friends, review.**

"If anyone _ever _tries to mention skinny-dipping to me ever again, I am going to kill them!" Jenna stormed into her house, leaving the door flung open for Alaric, who followed behind her sheepishly.

"I'm sorry Jenna. I thought it would be fun." He came in more slowly, shivering with cold. It had not been a particularly cold night, with only a light breeze cooling the air, but when you have just jumped in a lake you expected to be about ten times warmer than it was, that breeze seemed murderous. "I thought it would be meaningful. You know, seeing as how our two most memorable dates ended up with us in the woods."

"You know what else is fun and meaningful?" She ranted as she moved further into her house. "A nice dinner at a pleasant restaurant!"

Alaric stooped just inside the doorway, unsure whether or not she would want him to stay. He knew he should be more contrite, but he couldn't help but think how seeing her wet clothes cling to her body was worth a little cold.

Jenna paused in between her shaking to turn and face Alaric. He expected her to yell at him some more, and when surprised when her words sank in. "I think Elena and Jeremy are gone for the night…and I have my own personal shower attached to my room." She gave him a devilish smile that was interrupted when her teeth started chattering.

She jogged up the stairs and he raced behind her.

They didn't have sex in the shower. They were too busy reeling from how good the steaming water felt on their chilled skin. They warmed up parts of their body at a time, and faux-fought over who would get to move in the direct spray next. They were happy just to kiss. They used some poofy sponge balls Jenna found in the cabinet to wash each other, and the way they made the vanilla body wash get all sudsy and foamy felt heavenly against their skin.

To wash each other's backs, they pressed their fronts together in an erotic hug. They slid against each other, both wet and slippery from the soap.

The mood was ruined when Jenna found a tick on his lower back, but not in the way even she would have guessed. Under any other circumstance, with any other person, she would have been grossed out. She would have refused to touch it, would probably have backed away from them, but this didn't happen with Alaric.

Instead, she was infuriated. She was angry not at Alaric, but at a stupid bug. How dare it attach itself to Alaric? He was hers, and she only wanted to help him. Jenna didn't think she would ever be able to touch a bug willingly, but she surprised herself when she gripped the disgusting thing between her thumb and her forefinger and pried it off him, throwing it down the drain. She bent to see if the head was still attached, but luckily it wasn't. She kissed him like one would kiss a child's wounds.

She bent back up, and saw that his face was unreadable. She desperately didn't want this moment to turn awkward, so she tried to distract him. "No one gets to bite and suck you but me."

Alaric did immediately get distracted, but not before her actions had touched him beyond words. He knew she hated bugs with a fiery passion.

He turned off the water and grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go check each other for ticks." She laughed at the obvious line, and followed him out happily.

Once in her room, she bounced onto the bed, and he smiled at the sight. She went onto her knees, and hooked her arms around his neck. He had to bend down to kiss her because he was still standing. He was pushing her back, intending to lie next to her on the bed, when she resisted.

He pulled back to look at her and ask why, when she took advantage of his position. She leaned into him and kissed his stomach. Her kisses got lower. "You don't have to—" He couldn't finish his sentence as the feeling of her taking him in her mouth overcame him. She worked him gently at first, but gradually built up her speed and pressure until he was panting. "You should stop now, or we wont be able to-to-" He couldn't specify what he meant, but Jenna knew what he meant.

She pulled away from him long enough to only say, "We have all night." Then she got back to work and looked up at him with some emotion shining in her eyes. His own eyes couldn't leave hers. He shuddered and came in her mouth. She took everything he had and licked him clean.

She lay back on the bed, pleased with herself. "A little salty, like Chinese food." She pronounced a few minutes later.

She looked over when he didn't say anything. He was giving her a weird look. "What?" She laughed.

"I think I had that last night." His odd look at her continued. "That's kind of disgusting."

"So you don't want me to do that anymore?" She asked, propping her head up with her elbow.

"I didn't say _that_-" He stopped talking when she rolled onto him.

She leaned in to kiss him. He kissed her back at once, and tasted himself on her. She was right. "Is it still gross?" She whispered. He shook his head. "Good." He loved how unembarrassed she was. She was kissing him again, and gave out a surprised squeal when he flipped them over until he was on top of her.

He got onto his knees and moved lower down the bed to middle. He started just as she had, kissing her stomach and gradually going lower. Her breath caught, and she tried to pull him back up, but he resisted. None of her boyfriends had ever done this for her before, and she was a little nervous. He must have sensed it, because his next words were, "Trust me like I trusted you, Jenna. Let me pleasure you, just like you did me." And so she did, she trusted him more than she had trusted any other man. His tongue was insistent and demanding, and he worked her over like a pro. He knew all the right strokes and touches, and when his middle finger worked in tandem with his mouth, she softly cried out his name as she came.

They were both resting in each other's arms when he kissed her, and it became clear that he was well rested enough and wanted to continue pleasuring each other. "Wait, let's get some desert first." She sat up and pulled a shit on. He groaned.

"I thought that was what we were doing." He complained.

"I just remembered we have chunky monkey in the freezer." She climbed excitedly off the bed and hopped off to the door. She waited for him.

"That _is_ my favorite." He climbed out of the bed and followed her.

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"Oh, my god." Alaric looked at his bowl of ice creamy goodness. "I can't believe she saw me naked."

"You said that, like, ten times now." Jenna didn't even have the grace to pretend to sympathize for his situation.

"I have her in class! It's going to be so awkward." He set his spoon down, unable to take another bite.

"You've said that, too. Relax, it's just Elena. She thought it was funny. You saw her." She picked up his spoon and ate some of his ice cream.

"Yeah, and she saw me." He took his spoon back and ate the ice cream she had scooped for herself. She laughed. "You think my situation is funny, don't you?" He looked at her sternly.

"No," she lied unconvincingly as her lips twitched. "I'm just happy to be with you." She said, truthfully.

"I love you." Alaric blurted out, and anxiously awaited her response. "Well?" He said, after a minute.

She raised her eyebrows. "I invited you to my bedroom even after you tried to give me hypothermia. I risk my entire career just by staying with you. I trust you more than I've ever trusted anybody. What does that tell you?"

He kissed her again, and knew not only was that the beginning of their night, but of many things to come.


	11. Portals

Jenna was sitting on the couch and staring at the plush maroon carpet in Stefan's living room. _Is that a stain? _She was thinking about how she got here. She firmly believed the blame should be entirely placed on Alaric. It was clearly his fault. He lied about everything. About Isobel. Jenna thought she'd found the one good man left on the Earth, and it turns out he'd been lying to her from the beginning.

When Isobel showed up at her house, all smiles, evil, Jenna's whole world shattered. Alaric's words, his 'I love you', the times he talked about his dead wife, how she'd fallen for it all, they ran through her head as she'd raced to get away from all of them. Running had always been Jenna's specialty. She'd thought Elena and Jeremy had grounded her a little, but…

Thinking about Elena hurt her even more. She should have told Jenna what was going on with her. She was her parent, for god's sake! She was supposed to take care of Elena, not have Elena try to protect her. Like her not knowing things so important would _help _her. The nerve! Thinking about Elena hurt too much, so started focusing more on putting the blame on Alaric. Where it belonged. Really.

She was just angry. Angry at Stefan and Damon for getting Elena involved in this. Angry at Elena for not trusting her enough to let her in. Angry at Alaric for lying and tricking her. But she was mostly angry at herself for being so weak and wishing she didn't know any of this, which somehow only made her angrier. She shouldn't be mad at herself, not when she was supposed to be mad at everyone else.

Now she was stuck here waiting for the others to deal with this Klaus guy. She couldn't help in any way, and she was pretty sure that the only reason her mind wasn't wiped blank right now was because of the Vervain Jenna had been giving her. Secretly. Jenna sighed. She didn't know if she could ever forgive them for doing this to her. For controlling her life for her. If there was one thing she'd always hated, it was people thinking they knew what was best for _her_. Hello, Juliet Complex, and parental authority issues. They couldn't have picked a more hurtful thing to do to her.

She felt a weight make a dip next to her on the couch. "Go away." She hadn't seen Alaric in a long time, and she didn't plan on seeing him anytime soon.

"Jenna." She didn't look away from the carpet. "Please, I am so sorry I didn't tell you the truth. I just wanted to protect you. I love you, I've only loved you." He tried to take her hand, but she still didn't acknowledge him. "I couldn't tell you. I was scared, scared that I would lose you like I lost Isobel." She huffed at that. "Do you think that woman you saw was the Isobel I married, the Isobel I loved? She changed when she turned. To me, the real Isobel _is _dead."

Jenna got up to leave, and he followed her. "This is dangerous, Jenna. Damon, even Damon, killed me. He's supposed to be on our side, but he killed me like it was nothing. Only my ring saved me." Jenna had heard about the ring, and she wasn't interested. She was leaving the living room and heading into the hallway. "I love you, Jenna, and if keeping you safe meant lying to you, I was desperate enough to—" She walked into the closest room and slammed the door in his face, cutting his words off.

"At it again, is he?" She started as she heard a voice come from the bed.

"Damon, I didn't see you." She let out the breath she'd been holding.

"You weren't looking." He looked back down at the book he was holding. "Why are you in my room?" His words were clipped and his tone was dismissive.

She nodded her head to the door, on which Alaric had started banging. "Jenna, please, open up!" She heard his muffled voice through the door. "We need to talk!"

Damon cocked his head, considering for a moment. He finally looked at her thoughtfully, and said, "Would you like to make loud, pretend orgasmic noises with me to shut him up?"

Jenna paused to consider. She opened her mouth once, but closed it again. She finally just pursed her lips, and shook her head sadly.

In a blink, he was off the bed and standing in front of her. "Would you like to make loud, orgasmic noises with me for real?" His hand brushed her hair and he lowered his head to her neck. She shivered as his smooth skin slid across her neck. She took even longer to consider this answer. "No." She could hardly make herself whisper it.

He was gone instantly, and picking his book back up from his bed. "Probably for the best. Elena wouldn't like it." His dark brows pulled down over troubled blue eyes. "You won't tell her will you?"

"Of course not." Jenna said automatically, then wondered why Damon would care what Elena thought. Then she frowned as she wondered why Elena would really care what Damon did, aside from him offering it to her aunt.

"Thank god that stopped." He said, referring to the door and the lack of Alaric's fist pounding against it.

"Yeah." Jenna agreed. He lay back own on the bed with his book. She sat awkwardly beside him. "So, I hear you killed Alaric." He looked up in surprise. "Thank you." She said.

He looked uncomfortable, and shrugged. "He tried to kill me first. It was self-defense."

"Right." She bit her lip. "Still, he deserved it."

He looked up at her. "He does love you, you know."

"How could he, if he lied?"

"Love makes liars of us all." He said, looking off into the distance.

"Was that a quote from something?" She asked, the way he said it making her wonder.

He looked up sharply, and Jenna could swear there was a blush in his cheeks. "No."

"Are you sure—"

"Yes." He snapped. "Alaric loves you, and he's a good guy. Why do you think he tried to kill me?" He gave her a cold, predator's smile that gave her shivers. And not good shivers.

Jenna, wanting to change the subject, said, "What did Elena think about what happened between you and Alaric?"

His eyes were fastened on his book. He shrugged lightly, but she could see his jaw was clenched tight.

"She does know, right?" Jenna got another shrug in response. It was clear he wouldn't say anything.

She sighed and played with a loose string on her shirt when something occurred to her. She was sitting on a bed with a vampire. She started to study Damon as he studiously ignored her. He looked normal enough, and his chest rose and fell like he was breathing. She wondered if he was hungry. She wondered if he could read her mind. She squinted her eyes and tried to shout at him mentally. _DAMON!_

He looked up from his book. "What?" He said, annoyed

Jenna's mouth was hanging open. "Oh my god, you can read minds!"

He looked confused for all of a second, before his face cleared and he rolled his eyes. "No, I can't read your mind. "I'm not Edward, and I don't sparkle, either."

"Then how…?"

He looked amused. "Anyone staring at me the way you were would have noticed. I thought you had suddenly required an emergency use of the bathroom and were about to explode on my bed." His smile remained as he went back to his book and she felt her cheeks heat. _I guess my concentration face must have looked more like constipation face._

It was a few minutes before she got over her embarrassment. "So, you're a vampire, huh?" She drawled out, trying to strike a conversation. She got up and left immediately when she saw the death glare he gave her over the top of his book.

0000000

A Few Days Later

Damon saw Alaric rush past him, searching for something. He grabbed his arm, stopping him. "You're not really going to try again, are you? I think she's had enough."

He stopped involuntarily and gave Damon a glare that would rival his own. "I love her, Damon. You may not know what that feels like, but I do, and I've got to convince her of that, too. Before it's too late." He jerked away, and Damon let him go, thinking.

It wasn't three minutes later when he saw Jenna hurrying from the direction Alaric had just gone in. He stopped her with a hand on her arm. She looked up at him. "What is it?"

"I have to tell you something."

She looked behind her worriedly. "Can't it wait? I—"

Damon cut her off. "Before Alaric was on Vervain, and when he knew what I was, I compelled him." He had her undivided attention now, and he continued with his story. "I ordered him not to anyone anything about vampires, ever. And then I made him forget. He's probably just as confused as to why he didn't trust you as you are. He made excuses for himself, but deep down he's probably really hating himself right now."  
He looked into her eyes and saw a deep disgust. It would have taken his breath, had he any to lose. "I'm sor—" Her palm flashed out and hit him across the cheek. The sharp slap echoed just a little in the hallway. She walked away from him.

Later, when he was in his room, he heard them talking in the hallway. He peeked out the door and saw them kissing. He guessed they made up. He rubbed his cheek, though it didn't hurt, had never hurt, in fact. He knew he and Alaric were even now, even if Alaric himself didn't know it.

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Jenna felt a little guilty she was showering while everyone else seemed to be doing something else extremely important. She was worried about everyone, but as long as there was nothing else she could do, she had decided to at least get clean. Today was the day they all faced Klaus, while she stayed home to wait. She hoped Bonnie had it in her.

What cut through her worry to soothe her soul was the thought of Alaric. She'd learned the truth from Damon, finally, after all this time. She was glad that they were together again. She forgave Alaric, after all, it wasn't really his fault, but didn't tell him what Damon had said to her. She didn't want them fighting any more. They had already tried killing each other before, and Damon had succeeded, at least for a little while. Alaric had finally told Jenna what it was like for him to be buried alive, and it made Jenna hate Damon all the more.

But even her feelings of hatred couldn't ruin how happy she was that she and Alaric had made up. Add to that a nice, refreshing shower and Jenna was guiltily happy. No one had told her that at this very moment, the 'important stuff' they were doing to defeat Klaus put not only Bonnie and Damon and Stefan in danger, but Elena as well. Jenna had no clue.

So when she heard the message on her phone after she had gotten out of the shower, she was completely thrown for a loop, completely shocked and devastated, and scared. Elena had left a message, hysterical and crying for help, all while she was in the shower. Jenna dressed as quick as she could, and ran downstairs.

She was just about to open the door when a brilliant shock of purple light blinded her. She staggered back from the swirling dark purple vortex that had opened up beneath her feet. She barely noticed the girl with the knife in her hand until she made a move for Jenna.

"You'll come with me now. My father wants you." Jenna tried to back away from the crazy redheaded girl, but she was too quick. She reached out and wrapped an arm around Jenna's neck. The knife pressed against her throat. The surprisingly strong and unfortunately, armed girl pulled Jenna towards the purple abyss in the floor. Jenna screamed in protest right before she was pulled down into it by the girl.

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Alaric didn't know how long it had been since Jenna had gone missing. All he knew was that their plans had failed and the curse had been broken and that no one had seen Jenna in a long time. It felt like forever.

He was searching the mansion, calling out for her, when he stepped on her cell phone. She must have dropped it. He flipped through the call log, and saw someone had left her a voicemail. He listened to it and his heart stopped beating. He knew that hadn't been Elena.

He rushed for the front door, much as Jenna had done hours earlier. However, a purple portal did not appear in front of him. But a pink one did. A beautiful girl stepped from it and looked relieved to see him. "Finally!" She said and rolled her eyes.

"Meredith?" Alaric sputtered in surprise, but she didn't stop to answer him. Instead, she grabbed him by the arm and hauled him through the portal after her.


	12. Interference

As the darkness that had overwhelmed him subsided, Alaric turned from his back onto his stomach, and felt the cold dirt underneath his face. Panic seized him as memories of his time in the earth flooded his mind.

His body froze up and he couldn't move, but then he realized that he was not in the ground. There was nothing holding him down, no dirt on top of his body. He sat up and fell back down, too dizzy to move. He was dry-heaving when he heard her voice.

"I'm sorry. I've never opened a portal before. I hope you don't feel too bad." Her cool hand caressed his forehead, but as much as the movement pained him, he pulled away. He heard a distressed noise.

When his stomach settled, he tried to sit up again. His head still spun, and he tried to shake it to clear it, but that only triggered another wave of nausea. He blinked his eyes rapidly, and finally Meredith came into focus in the dimly lit room. If you could call it a room. It was more like a hallway, made of stone walls and dirt, kind of like the Salvatore basement, but he knew this wasn't their basement. The wall had torches and led off into eventual darkness. "Where am I?" Alaric asked, and his tongue felt like it would fall off.

"I'm sorry. I had to take you here. You need to get Jenna back." She chewed her lip.

"Jenna?" He tried to sit up, but his body wouldn't comply and he fell back down. "Where is she?"

"Raife took her." She cradled his face. "Alaric, I'm so sorry. He read my mind, and he saw it all! He took her for me, but it'll be okay, I swear. We'll get her back."

"What do you mean, '_for' _you?" He sat up again, and leaned against the wall.

"I think…I think he meant it as a gesture of-of love." Before he could say anything, she quickly added, "He knew, he saw, how much it pained me to know you and Jenna…He had her kidnapped for me, so I could kill her for myself. He-he thought-"

"That is so fucked up!"

She sighed and looked down. "I know, but…I really think he did it out of love."

"That isn't love, it's psycho!" Alaric felt well enough to stand.

She rose from her crouch to stand with him. "I don't think he knows the difference." She looked down sadly.

Alaric remembered that Meredith wasn't the villain, so he tried not to take his anger out of her. But he did remember from his time in her memories that Raife was very much the villain, and that Jenna was in his hold at this very moment. That trumped everything else. He took her shoulders and shook her as he tried to catch her gaze. "Where is she, Meredith?"

"I'll help you get her back." She whispered. She pulled away from his easily. "Follow me." She led him into a dark hallway. He couldn't see his feet beneath him, and fear seized him, but he continued on at the thought of Jenna in danger.

When Meredith looked back and saw he was following her without hesitation, she moved their pace to a light jog. It wasn't long before the tunnel opened out into an underground chamber, also lit with dim torches. It was, however, huge. About the size of a decent house, but without the walls. Alaric saw on one side a girl with red hair and glowing purple eyes. She looked up menacingly as they entered. At the other end sat a blonde, green-eyed man Alaric recognized as Raife. He was staring off to space, sitting in a chair that was almost throne-like, clutching something in his hands so hard his knuckles were white. _Is that my shirt?_ Alaric thought. Raife didn't look up when they entered. At his feat lay an unconscious Jenna in a heap on the floor.

Alaric rushed to Jenna.

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Clarissa stepped in front of Meredith before she could follow Alaric. She had two wicked long knives in her hands. Meredith rolled her eyes. "That's the best you can do, Clare?"

Clare's eyes narrowed at the nickname. She hated it. Precisely why Meredith used it. She whispered a few words and all of a sudden, her swords were crackling and alight with blue electricity. She took a step towards Meredith.

"He'll never want you like he does me." Meredith taunted. Clare let out a scream and lunged, one that Meredith easily avoided. "I mean, sure, he calls us both his daughters, but which one does he actually treat like one?" Another scream. Another lunge. Meredith laughed humorlessly. It seemed to be a sore spot for Clare, though she'd never understand why. "How pathetic are you? Doing everything he says, desperate for attention, like a good little puppy." She lunged, fury making her quick, but Meredith was faster. "You even fetched him a human. For me. How does that make you feel, Clare?" She lunged again, swinging her knives wildly, but was slower this time. She was getting tired. "You're a good girl, but I'm the bitch he wants to fuck."

This time, when Clarissa attacked, Meredith didn't sidestep. She caught Clare's hands in her own and twisted them around. Clarissa, unable to stop for her own momentum, impaled herself on her own weapons. The flickering blue lights faded as her blood poured from her body to coat both their hands.

She looked at Meredith with surprise. She choked out a little blood. Meredith laid her down gently. She leaned into Clarissa and whispered into her ear. "You never stood a chance." She pulled away and saw a look of pure hate etched into Clarissa's face. Her last breath passed, but the look did not fade. Meredith got up, and looked for Alaric. She panicked when she saw Raife's hands wrapped around his neck.

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"Jenna!" Alaric shook her gently, but she didn't stir.

"She didn't take to the portal well." Raife's voice startled Alaric. "Of course, Clarissa didn't help with that."

"You mother fucker, I'll-"

"You can't have her." Raife interrupted. At Alaric's puzzled look, he added. "The girl. I need her. Maybe when Meredith kills her, she will feel better. This girl made her so sad." He glared down at the unconscious Jenna with venom in his eyes. He'd never though green could be a warm color, but fire lit up Raife's green eyes.

"Why? She didn't do anything!"

Raife stood, and Alaric tried to move in between Jenna and him. "Didn't do anything? She made my Merry miserable! She made it impossible for her to fuck with you, and she _wanted _to fuck you. Meredith should _always _get what she wants." Raife ripped a small patch of hair from his own head. His eyes moved from Jenna to Alaric. Alaric watched as the hair slowly grew back, hardly noticing that Raife was stalking towards him. Raife wrapped one hand around Alaric's neck and lifted him off his feet. "I shouldn't kill you." He laughed insanely. His face then instantly grew serious. "But you're the one who changed everything. She was with me, and then she loved you. I can't kill you if she loves you." Despite his words, Alaric felt his hand grip his neck tighter. "It's your fault. She used to be happy with me until you made her miserable."

"You never made her happy." Alaric choked out, clawing at his fingers to try and pry them apart. It didn't work.

Raife let out another insane peel of laughter. "You have no idea how good it was between us. I was much better than that hell bitch of a mother she used to have! I knew from the moment I first saw her as a child she was my soul mate. But I waited, waited until she was old enough to show her the truth. But she hasn't figured it out yet." He whispered the last part, and ripped out more of his hair. The arm holding him in the air hadn't wavered. He looked lost and distressed. "At least I had her, then, though. I could make her feel what we had together, even if she couldn't see it, but since she's met you…She can't feel it anymore." He groaned in agony. "She doesn't want me anymore, she wants you." He looked down, and when he looked back up at Alaric, his eyes were empty. "So, I can't kill you." But his hand tightened once more.

Alaric was beginning to see stars, but through the haze he saw Meredith. She swung her fists at the side of Raife's head with impossible force. Raife fell, and Alaric crumpled to the ground beside him, but only Alaric gasped for air.

Meredith turned around and started chanting. A swirling pink hole of what looked like clouds appeared in the floor. Alaric recognized it as a portal. "You need to go." She turned back around to face him. "Get Jenna out of here. I'll take care of him." She nodded to Raife and kicked his shoulder.

"You can't stay with him. He's insane." Alaric tried to look into Meredith's eyes. She looked down and nodded. "I'm serious, Meredith. I can help you."

She looked up then. There was a fire in her eyes that burned brightly enough to match Raife's. "I don't need help. Not yours and not Raife's. That was what he was doing, in his own, sick way, you know. Helping. But I don't need it!" She yelled. She saw his face and her voice softened. "I once thought that living as a house wife, as _yours_, in particular,would be preferable to the life I led under Raife, Alaric. I always thought I was doomed, and there was no help for me. I never thought for a second I could help myself. But I just realized, I _can_ stand for myself. I'm sure of it. You helped me learn that!" She kissed him before he saw her move. "Go, take her. Get her to safety, and love her all the more for me, for what I can't have." She picked up Raife effortlessly and jogged away to the hallway they'd come from. He watched her go with dread in his heart that came from knowing he couldn't save her. He looked at Jenna's unconscious face in his arms. She was beautiful. He held her closer and started jogging to the portal Meredith had opened.

00000

The dizziness was back, but thankfully more manageable than before. When he heard Jenna groan, he immediately moved to her voice. They were both laying on the carpeted living room in the Salvatore house. Right where he had died, in fact. The morning sun was shining in from the window. He saw what Meredith meant when she said time moved differently. It had been hours to sunrise when they left, and now it looked to be high noon. "Jenna, are you all right?" He touched her cheek as she opened her eyes.

"What happened?" She asked sleepily. Then her eyes widened. "Oh my god, Elena!" She tried to sit up, but fell back down.

"It's okay. Don't move." Alaric tried to soothe her.

"But—"

"Jenna!" Elena screamed as she came rushing into the room. She all but dived onto the floor next to them. She pulled Jenna to her in a hug. "Where were you? We were all so worried! We heard the message on the phone, and I thought-never mind! Where have you been these past couple days?" Alaric guessed it was longer than he'd thought. "I was so worried. Klaus got Tyler's mom. He's such a mess." She hugged Jenna tighter. Jenna looked like she was fighting the urge to puke.

"Let her tell you later, Elena. She needs rest." Alaric gently pealed Elena off of Jenna and Jenna looked grateful. She lay back down on the carpet.

"I'm just so glad you're okay." Elena said, tears in her eyes, as she clutched Jenna's hand.

"Me, too." Jenna said weakly.

_Me, three._ Alaric thought lamely.


	13. Epilogue

Whenever Alaric looks back on that day, two things always occur to him.

The first is how ironic it all was. In an odd act of 'love', Raife had kidnapped Jenna for Meredith, but it turned out he actually saved her life. If Jenna had gone out of the house, she would have been kidnapped and turned by Klaus, just to be sacrificed in his ritual. In trying to clear the way for Meredith by ending Jenna's life, Raife inadvertently saved her. Alaric wondered if that stung, or if Meredith even left him alive. He trusted her when she said she'd take care of it.

Unfortunately, no one was there to save Tyler's mom. She was lured out when they realized they wouldn't get Jenna. Tyler was pretty broken up, but Caroline is trying to help him through it.

The second thing is, how when he remembered seeing her just before he went through the portal back home, his first thought was that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Happy, safe, and with Jenna. It was all he thought about these days.

He even bought a ring, one he definitely couldn't afford on a teacher's salary. He figured maybe his parents will die having forgotten to take him out of the will. Then maybe one day he'll pay it off.

He gave it to Bonnie to enchant. She still has all her ancestors' powers since they couldn't defeat Klaus. Yet. She's confident she can perform the spell the ring that Jeremy has now on the wedding ring, too. The spell that will keep her safe from death by unnatural causes. And he'd make sure she definitely never got buried alive.

Now, he was only waiting for the right moment. And for Bonnie to give the ring back. He swore she was only keeping it so long because it was shiny.


End file.
